On applying ambient intelligence to assist people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities

Abstract

Advances in ambient intelligence technologies achieved over recent years allow building ICT systems capable of supporting people in executing previously difficult tasks. This includes providing new opportunities to people with special needs, such as people with disabilities. In this paper we discuss our approach at designing and developing a smart platform that can assist people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) in achieving a portion of independence. We apply this approach in the INSENSION project executed within the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme of the European Commission. In this paper, we describe the characteristics of the disability in question, focusing on the main challenge, which is the inability of individuals with PIMD to use symbols in their interaction. Due to the fact that, to our best knowledge, the topic of constructing a system that could assist this interaction has not been undertaken so far, we were required to thoroughly analyze how individuals with PIMD interact using non-symbolic behaviors. We then defined requirements for the platform capable of supporting their interaction with other people and possibly living environment, designed the architecture and built the first version with the use of AI methods. The evaluation of this version confirmed the soundness of our approach, which enables us to continue our work towards successful implementation of the planned ambient intelligence system and its validation in real-life scenarios.