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SUITE

Smart, adaptive assistance services based on smart meter and building automation data

Application industry: Smart home/smart living
Technology area: (Mathematical) optimization and planning; machine learning; data and service management

The SUITE project is testing the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in smart homes based on data from smart-meter and smart-home components.

The baseline
The average life expectancy of people in Germany is rising and many of the people live alone. Almost all of them would like to keep their independence and live in their own four walls as long as possible. Smart assistance services can help people of advanced age or with health restrictions to manage their everyday lives in many ways – be it by controlling lights and air conditioning systems, through accident prevention or emergency reporting. However, the implementation of smart-home concepts often fails due to the multitude of heterogeneous providers, systems, and devices. The lack of standards hinders AI-based control in smart homes.

The project goal
SUITE is creating a technical basis for digital services in the areas of comfort, assistance, and energy efficiency in smart homes, especially in rented apartments. The basis is an adaptable ‘technology kit’ consisting of smart meter (smart electricity meter), selected sensors and actuators (components that convert signals into action), and smart loudspeakers. All the data registered by the digital devices flows together in the technology kit and is analysed with the help of machine learning and artificial intelligence. When the system detects deviations from normal conditions, various assistance functions can be activated. One function that is being tested in the project is, for example, inactivity detection based on electricity consumption, so that residents can receive help faster in an emergency. To ensure data protection, the data should be processed largely within the smart home.

Application and practical benefit
SUITE enables partivularly elderly residents of rented apartments to flexibly book individual assistance services that make their lives easier and safer, help save electricity or, in an emergency, alert neighbours and medical assistance services. At the same time, SUITE is contributing to research on machine learning and AI in the smart-home environment.

Term: 1 June 2019 to 30 May 2022

Consortium: Vonovia SE (lead member), DFKI, Fachhochschule Dortmund, Hakisa GmbH, Fresh Energy GmbH, Hager Group

Contact:
Dr.-Ing. Hendrik Hasenclever
Vonovia SE

hendrik.hasenclever@vonovia.de