Abstract:

Intelligent (or smart) environments are usually developed for indoor applications, like ambient assisted independent living of seniors or handicapped persons in their homes, but users would appreciate intelligent support of various human activities also in outdoor spaces, e.g., in streets, forests, or elsewhere in open nature. Extensive usage of wireless sensor networks combined with cloud-based services and possible wearable equipment seems to be usable and efficient there. The purpose of the paper is to sketch a vision of an intelligent, knowledge rich outdoor environment, illustrated on the example of a ski resort. Such a knowledge rich outdoor environment (e.g., ski resort, or sea resort, among others) could be based on exploitation of sophisticated wireless sensor networks sending the data to an appropriate cloud with mobile access to all the necessary information, e.g., what part of the environment should be chosen as most safe, with best snow or water conditions, and with minimal waiting time in the case of necessary traffic services.