1,500,000 visitors in 300 European cities participate every last Friday of the month of September in Researchers’ Night, an event which takes place every year all over Europe and Greece, since 2005. Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas hosts the event in Heraklion, Crete, in its main building.
In 2019 the Ambient Intelligence Programme of the Institute of Computer Science presented:
- AR AmI Explorer: a system that interactively simulates physical spaces in Augmented Reality (AR) environments. An indicative example of the application presents part of the research and development results of the Ambient Intelligence Programme of the Institute of Computer Science of the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (ICS-FORTH) through a virtual tour. The demonstrated system comprises the AR application, called “AR AmI Explorer”, and a 3D model of the building of AmI Programme. Through the system, the physical model is enriched (augmented) with digital content including information and audiovisual material related to several interactive systems developed at ICS-FORTH by the AmI Programme. The system applies a novel interaction paradigm which in combination with the use of image, light and sound serves the overall purpose to (a) “transform” the procedure of exploring a space into an interactive, entertaining experience and (b) to showcase the important elements of that space.
- Virtual Worlds of Information: The system comprises a platform simulating physical spaces, allowing users to browse the provided information through virtual reality technologies. It provides an impressive interaction experience, giving the impression of real presence in the digital world. In detail, users are able to browse and be transferred to different virtual spaces among which, are: the building of Ambient Intelligence (ICS-FORTH), the Throne Room in Knossos and a digital archaeological museum. Moreover, the system allows the navigation in the available spaces to explore detailed information based on visualized elements, while at the same time it immerses users in the virtual environment through Mixed Reality techniques.
- Online platform AmI Promote: It allows the presentation of multimedia content for informative, commercial or advertising purposes. The specific technological solutions is preferable for usage within public transportation means, such as city or intercity buses, while it provides the ability to view targeted, multimedia information depending on the geographical location of the vehicle. The main features of the online platform AmI Promote are the following:
- Support of dynamic content applications based on the geographical position and a specific date range
- Presentation of audiovisual dynamic content including descriptions, images and video, with or without audio
- Variety of displays with different characteristics (e.g. dimension, resolution, digital/analog connection, etc.)
- Scheduling and customizing advertisements and informative content
- Content updates through the internet
- History of displayed content
- Remote control through VNC technology
- CaLmi: A stress monitoring system in smart environments: The system allows the ambient presentation of relaxation programmes aiming to control the stress level of users that live within smart environments. As an application example of the system, a multi-sensored relaxation programme is demonstrated implementing the technique “Being in the nature”. It comprises the application named CaLmi and a specially designed space equipped with the appropriate infrastructure. Through the application, the space is converted in a way that activates: (a) the sense of sight, through a video presentation of a waterfall in a forest while the colors and the light intensity of the surroundings are properly adjusted, (b) the sense of hearing, through forest sounds playing from an audio setup and (c) the sense of smell by diffusing lavender scent from an aromatherapy device.The system combines the use of image, light, sound and smell and aims to enhance the existing relaxation techniques and to create a unique relaxing experience.
