MRI: Acquisition of Research Infrastructure for Distributed Sensor Applications in the Home of the Future

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EIA-0216137Rahul SimhaGeorge Washington UniversityMRI: Acquisition of Research Infrastructure for Distributed Sensor Applications in the Home of the FutureThis proposal, developing an infrastructure for applications that can exploit a network of sensors and actuators in the home environment, extends work already in progress on future technologies aiming at launching a long-term research program around the Home-21 theme with a broader base of applications and a stronger research focus. Applications (with respective examples) involve:1. Sensors distributed around the home (detecting intrusion),2. Sensors on an occupants (helping monitor infirm or disabled occupants), and3. Sensors on a service provider (helping a fireman navigate a burning home).Faculty with research interests in networking, human-computer interaction, MEMS devices, sensors and biomedical engineering will collaborate on a single infrastructure to support these classes of applications. Although the theme centers on the home of the future, the infrastructure and applications apply to other living environments including, for example, hotels, dormitories, offices, ships, and assisted-living facilities. Special attention will be devoted to applications that will use sensors and actuators on occupants at multiple level of granularity, coarse-grained (location of occupant within the house) and fine-grained (movement of limbs). Such applications involve placing sensors on the occupant that are wireless connected to algorithms that track movement and can, in some cases, also send location-specific feedback (via the actuators) in accordance with the desired objective. Ancillary projects involve Safety (falls, fire, etc.), Security (intrusion monitoring), Health Monitoring Measuring (measuring telemedicine applications, monitoring and relaying vital signs), and RF monitoring (controlling harm from electromagnetic radiation). The equipment, including magnetic trackers, wireless equipment, RF analyzer and software, and support equipment, serves as a testbed for senior design students. Hence, a key component is its focus for undergraduate research and training.