Introduction to the thematic issue on Challenges in Engineering Intelligent Environments
Asier Aztiria, Aaron S. Crandall, Gordon Hunter · Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Smart Environments · 2014
This issue of JAISE is focused on the theme of Challenges in Engineering Intelligent Environments. Since the inception of ubiquitous computing, the difficulties in deploying computing systems in our everyday environments have been recognized. Computing resources, electrical power consumption, visibility, networking, wireless tools, user interfaces, ad hoc infrastructures, security and other issues of concern have long been targets of continued research and engineering efforts. Intelligent Environments have been strong candidates for bringing limited prototype/pilot versions of the ubiquitous computing concept into everyday use. Applications in the fields of healthcare, automation, education, energy efficiency, and working environments have all seen notable successes. As ‘big data’ and large scale analytics have been brought to bear on these types of tools, new issues relating to data storage, machine learning, and privacy have been exposed. The research community targeting these fields has repeatedly sought high quality engineering solutions to problems arising in smart environments. This thematic issue was proposed and compiled to bring together exemplars of problems engineering teams face, the research approaches to building better smart environments, and to enhance awareness of how these problems might be overcome. The editors have sought out papers in areas including: middleware, software engineering, machine learning, sensors and systems, and user experience to demonstrate the diversity of