Energy efficiency for future homes based on artificial intelligence

01.11.2009 - 30.06.2012
Research funding project
ThinkHome is an incarnation of such an intelligent home of the future that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to improve control of home automation functions provided by dedicated automation systems. It is able to detect and utilize patterns to provide a better, more energy-efficient, yet comfort oriented, control of building functions. Primary targets are functions that require comparably high amounts of energy, such as those found in heating/ventilation and air-conditioning, and lighting/shading. For an optimization, the system must be capable of detecting user interactions and desires, to identify patterns in these data and to be able to learn and adapt to its environment. ThinkHome must therefore be able to perceive its environment, especially the home in which it is employed. It has to learn environmental parameters such as thermal inertia and combine this knowledge together with various parameters and data found in and around today's buildings (presence, occupancy, temperature, daylight ...) to find an optimal strategy for controlling the environment. From its beginning, all results of the ThinkHome project will be made available to the public through open workshops and via a dedicated project homepage.

People

Project leader

Project personnel

Institute

Grant funds

  • FFG - Österr. Forschungsförderungs- gesellschaft mbH (National) Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)

Research focus

  • Computer Engineering: 50%
  • Energy Active Buildings, Settlements and Spatial Infrastructures: 50%

Keywords

GermanEnglish
GebäudeautomationBuilding Automation
HeimautomationHome Automation
Energie und UmweltEnergy and Environment
Künstliche IntelligenzArtificial Intelligence
AgentenAgents
Simulationsimulation

Publications