Club of Amsterdam
Supporter
De Waag
Presentations [pdf]
by Ben Schouten & Rob van Kranenburg 
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by Erik Geelhoed, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories 
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by Berry Eggen, TU Eindhoven, Design Platform Eindhoven 
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by Klaas Kuitenbrouwer, Mediamatic 
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Ben Schouten & 
Rob van Kranenburg
In Wikipedia the concept of Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is described as a vision where humans are surrounded by computing and networking technology unobtrusively embedded in their surroundings. AmI puts the emphasis on user-friendliness, efficient and distributed services support, user empowerment, and support for human interactions. This vision assumes a shift away from PCs to a variety of devices which are unobtrusively embedded in our environment and which are accessed via intelligent interfaces using RFID, PDA, wearables, robots etc.
Technologically framed issues of the coming decade will be on smart environments, The Internet of Things, pervasive computing, ubicomp, Things That Think, Disappearing Computer, Ambient Intelligence, Calm Technology, all terms for the trend of chips and circuits, switches and boards moving out of the computer as we know it, into clothing (wearables), homes (domotics), military operations (smart dust), healthcare (implants), security (smart cameras), and through logistics and retail into the chain of things that we buy and sell every day. However, they will not move out without sending postcards home. They will keep in touch with the digital infrastructures and databases by calling in from time to time. Following Mark Weiserís vision in his seminal 1992 Computing for the 21th century text, this view on computing is the fastest spreading paradigm in the history of technology: from Intel (hardware), to Philips (Ambient Intelligence), from Nokia (Near Field Communication), to DARPA (distributed systems), from the EU vision of Digital Territory to the EPC Global dream of an Internet of Things (Object Name Servers).
As the World Wide Web has changed our ways to communicate, to collaborate and share information in previously unavailable ways, ambient technology will even further influence our lives, HOW we perceive and communicate and shape our identity. It will reshape our media in new content and environments, our daily live and work environment and our economical challenges. Using new technologies and improved sensor capabilities it will facilitate more human communication and places the human in the centre of his adaptive environment. An important question will then be to find new ways of scripting new forms of solidarities with these digital technologies which will deepen the possibilities, which will inspire trust and confidence. Otherwise we might be confronted with more control and/or hiding the technological complexity behind ever more simple user friendly interfaces. In both cases there is no learning by citizens on how to function within such a system, thereby opening up all kinds of breakdown scenarios.
We will discuss how to negociate the vast economic and human resources in the Netherlands, its unique saturedness in terms of infrastructures and excellent planning strategies in relation to a practical living of everyday life, real human problems and challenges? This evening we hope to get the key players in the Dutch ambient intelligence field together in order to debate strategies towards collaboration and concrete implementation scenarios.
With Boris de Ruyter (Philips), Erik Geelhoed (Hewlett-Packard Laboratories), Berry Eggen (TU Eindhoven, Design Platform Eindhoven), Klaas Kuitenbrouwer (Mediamatic) & Maurits Kreijveld (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation Department)
19:00 – 20:00
Part I:
Introduction by our Moderators
Ben Schouten, Lector Ambient Intelligence and Design, Fontys & CWI
Rob van Kranenburg, Innovation and Media Theorist
The promise of an Ambient Society
Boris de Ruyter, Principal Scientist, Media Interaction Department, Philips Research Europe
Promise of AmI for the home (ideal home)
Erik Geelhoed, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, UK
Promise of AmI in mobility and mobile gaming
Berry Eggen, Professor, Vice Dean, Department of Industrial Design, TU Eindhoven
Promise of AmI for design
Klaas Kuitenbrouwer, Mediamatic
Promise of AmI for media
Maurits Kreijveld, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation Department
20:00 – 20:30
Coffee break with drinks and snacks.
20:30 – 21:15
Part II: Panel followed by an open discussion.
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