Context-aware systems for assisting users in their activities of daily living : from activity recognition to augmented reality assistance provision

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Smart cities and smart homes, with their sensors and devices, are great technological environments in which context-aware systems can be deployed and where a quantities of information can be collected to support activity recognition and context-aware service provision. Our first objective (Obj.1) is to design strategies and algorithms in order to recognize and predict human activities with hybrid-classification and pattern recognition algorithms as well as Bayesian models. Such algorithms must manage heterogeneity of data, take into account the hardware limits (e.g. battery life), and consider a quasi-real-time analysis of the data on mobile devices. In our recent work, we have developed strategies and algorithms to analyze contextual information to recognize activities of mobile users in urban environment based on hybrid systems. The research activities around the Obj.1 will be to pursue the online activity recognition of mobile users in urban environments by increasing the range of recognized activities and include more contextual information into the recognition process such as surrounding users or temporal logic.******If context-aware applications can provide value-added services to general users, such software can provide extended assistance to dependent users (e.g. seniors), for instance, by helping them in the realization of activities of daily living. Our second objective (Obj. 2) focuses on interdisciplinary work in ubiquitous computing and human-computer interaction, which consists of the conception and development of context-aware services that assist users in the realization of ADLs. More specifically, we are working on two sub-objectives : (a) the design and evaluation of augmented reality cognitive orthoses to support people in the realization of ADLs; (b) design and evaluation of multimodal interactions techniques in AR in order to enhance usability of cognitive orthoses content provided in Obj. 2.a and take into account the limitation of users (e.g. physical or task related limitation). Providing tasks and cognitive assistance in AR includes several challenges from the human factors and technological perspective, such as 3D orientation and interaction, multimodal interactions, attention and mental charge, etc.******The results of my research will contribute significantly to the state of the art of context-awareness, ambient intelligence and user assistance research fields. Our research program will also contribute to the formation of the highly qualified personnel (HQP) involved in our research by providing a high-quality academic education and a dynamic research environment. Finally, we are also working toward having a positive impact on the Canadian population in general by transferring the developed theories, models, and technologies to public and private organizations, but also toward people with special needs by increasing their autonomy and quality of life.