The CLARITY centre was a national research centre in Ireland from 2008-2013 focused on sensor web technologies with a focus on four demonstrators: personal health and sports, energy and the environment, real time web, and ambient assisted living (AAL). The AAL demo used various sensors like fabric sensors, movement sensors, and electricity sensors to detect activities and provide alerts. The centre included over 100 researchers and staff across three institutions. It collaborated with both social agencies and industry partners on its projects.

1. AAL Research. Creating the future technologies
in Ireland – challenges and realities
Aiden R. Doherty
CLARITY: Centre for Sensor Web Technologies
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2. The CLARITY centre
• CLARITY: Centre for Sensor Web Technologies (2008 –
2013)
– UCD DCU and Tyndall
– National, multi-site CSET
– Irish funding sources: EPA, MI, IDA, EI & SFI
– 8x Prof./PI + 17x lecturers
– 33x senior researchers + 49x PhD students
– 8x support staff + 8x admin
• Focus on 4 demonstrators:
– Personal Health and Sports
– Energy and the Environment
– Real Time Web
– Ambient Assisted Living
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3. CLARITY Centre & Ecosystem
Social/Agency Collaborators Industry Collaborators
CSET Core
August 2010
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4. CLARITY AAL Demo
Activity
Sensing Alerting
Recognition
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5. Fabric stretch/bend sensors
Activity
Sensing Alerting
Recognition
Fabric sensors respond to stretching
e.g. fabric stretches due to ribcage Stretch
expansion or due to joint movement sensors
Breathing feedback application for
children with respiratory illness
Monitor breathing
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6. Movement Analysis
Activity
Sensing Alerting
Recognition
• 6 DOF Wireless Inertial
Measurement Units
(WIMUs)
• Features:
– 3-axis Accelerometers
– 3-axis Gyroscopes
– 3-axis magnetometers
– ADC: analog-digital converter
– Microprocessor
Tyndall WIMU
– Serial Wireless Link Wireless
Inertial
Measurement
Unit

7. 3D Human Motion Reconstruction
Activity
Sensing Alerting
Recognition
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN  DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY  TYNDALL NATIONAL INSTITUTE 7
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8. “Lifelog” Images – what we see…
Activity
Sensing Alerting
Recognition
• 22 “activities”
• Validated on 33 people
•1+ million minutes of daily life
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9. CCTV Unusual Event Detection
Activity
Sensing Alerting
Recognition
Video Audio

10. Passive Electricity Sensing
Activity
Sensing Alerting
Recognition
• 3,391,443 sensor readings reduced to 520 showers
• Average duration = 8 minutes (min = 3 min, max = 27 min)
• 8am Tuesday morning is peak time
Morning Shower

11. Reflection…
1. Sound Fundamentals
2. Unobtrusive Sensors …
intuitive interaction

12. Reflection…
3. Learn from real-world users
4. Embrace ideas from others

13. AAL Research. Creating the future technologies
in Ireland – challenges and realities
Aiden R. Doherty – aiden.doherty@dcu.ie
www.clarity-centre.org
CLARITY has lots of expertise
Always seeking collaboration
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