Networked smart home appliances - enabling real ubiquitous culture

What are 'networked smart home appliances'? What is a 'ubiquitous culture'? With the rapid advancement in technology and the Internet, the consumer can appreciate the usefulness of connectivity. As connectivity becomes more pervasive the consumer will come to expect even home appliances to be connected to a network within the home. The present TV or PC-centric networks are anticipated to evolve towards service gateway based networks. Smart home appliances should be able to deliver enhanced or 'smart' services within the home. The acceptance of these services universally will lead to a new culture - this is termed 'ubiquitous culture'. De Montfort University is involved with the UK 'the application home initiative'-the initiative has conducted surveys on consumer perception and awareness of connected home technology. These surveys have been used as a basis for predicting how 'ubiquitous culture' will be introduced within the UK. A research project described is being undertaken with the leading home appliance manufacturer in the UK to help enable such culture and smart appliances. It also review the work being done to trial these concepts within "ELIMA", a fourth framework EU sponsored project. We present a description of the project and the possible areas that the work will influence.