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Methods Inf Med 2008; 47(03): 198-202
DOI: 10.3414/ME9110
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH

A Support System for Context Awareness in a Group Home Using Sound Cues

H. Kanai
1   Center of Knowledge Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Ishikawa, Japan
,
T. Nakada
2   School of Knowledge Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Ishikawa, Japan
,
Y. Hanba
3   Solution Division, Ricoh Software Inc., Tokyo, Japan Summary
,
S. Kunifuji
2   School of Knowledge Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Ishikawa, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
18 January 2018 (online)

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Summary

Objectives: In a group home, caregivers should be aware of the inhabitant’s real-time situation. The aim of our study is to facilitate the awareness of an inhabitant’s situation by means of enhanced sound cues.

Methods: We propose an audio notification system that indicates the real-time situation of persons in a group home environment using sound cues instead of visual surveillance. The notification system comprises a prediction and a notification function. The prediction function estimates a person’s real-time situation using a Bayesian network and sensed information; the notification function informs recipients of the predicted situation and the confidence level of the prediction by means of sound cues. We use natural sounds as sound cues.

Results: As a first step to examine our system in a group home, we conducted operation and performance tests of each unit under a simple test environment. The correct prediction of the subject’s situation is approximately 90%; further, it is shown that the sound cues should be selected according to their environmental dependence.

Conclusions: The results show that the method is useful for monitoring persons. As future study, we will conduct a field test on an implemented system and improve it for practical use in a group home.

Keywords

Group home - context awareness - ambient notification system - support for caregivers
 

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