An evaluation method for smart variable space in living space

Abstract

The methods which improve space usage efficiency is important especially for city lives. Development of high-rise buildings and underground is one of the methods. However, those developments just lay out the spaces which are expanded in plane into vertical. Physical and monetary limitations are the problem. Therefore, the spaces which can change its functions easily/automatically depending on the situations are necessary instead of stacking of single function spaces. So far, we have proposed Smart Variable Space which realizes various functional spaces by changing its Spatial Configuration Modules dynamically. In this research, the simulated environment for Smart Variable Space was developed by using Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform. In order to clarify the efficacy of Smart Variable Space, a new evaluation index was proposed, and then, the efficacy of Smart Variable Space in living space was assessed by comparison with the conventional housing models. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.