USM, PENANG, 5 Aug 2018 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Japan Advanced Institute of Sciences and Technology (JAIST) collaborated recently in organising a two-day Workshop on Dependable Network Operations Management (D-NOM) in Smart Home Technology.

This workshop is initiated by the USM School of Computer Sciences and headed by the Dean, Professor Dr. Ahamad Tajudin Khader and managed by Dr. Manmeet Mahinderjit Singh together with her committee members.

Others who collaborated include Associate Professor Dr. Asrulnizam from the Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Centre (CEDEC), USM and Professor Yasuo Tan and Associate Professor Yuto Lim, from JAIST Japan.

The workshop successfully highlighted the use of ECHONET-Lite technology from JAIST, Japan in a newly-designed Smart Home lab known as SAHOMASI (Smart Home with Ambient Intelligence using MEMS Sensors) Lab; an Internet of Things (IoT)-based Smart Home platform infrastructure with ECHONET-Lite middleware that interconnects home appliances, devices, people, systems and information resources together to improve the well-being of the elderly and disabled community.

“Malaysia is heading towards becoming an ageing nation, with an estimated 15% of its population will become aged by 2030. Assisted living environment to facilitate a more holistic and healthy ageing is possible with Smart Home technologies combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI), data analytics and predictive human behaviour based on daily living activities,” said Associate Professor Dr. Putra Sumari, Deputy Dean of School of Computer Sciences in his officiating speech.

According to Dr. Manmeet, since 2013, a group of researchers from the School of Computer Sciences have been working actively on the ageing issues. Ageing is a non-trivial social issue and managing it through technology is feasible and promising.

“In addition, a networking linkage involving Smart Home technology delivered by Professor Dr. Rosni Abdullah became the main catalyst for Dr. Manmeet and Dr. Nurul Hashimah Ahamed Hassain Malim to elevate the technology of smart homes for the elderly through their collaboration partners – JAIST and CEDEC.

The two-day workshop include, among others, technical hands-on training sessions using ECHONET-Lite protocol, informative keynote-sharing sessions and exhibition tour of the SAHOMASI Lab.

The participants in this workshop consisted of educators, researchers and postgraduate students from public and private universities.

A participant, Khadijah Kamarulazizi, who lectures at KDU University, Penang was satisfied with the hands-on training.

According to her, the workshop managed to bridge the connection between sensors network, standardised middleware protocols such as ECHONET and Intelligent Assisted Services developed with AI technologies.

“The synergy of all three fields in a newly-designed Smart Home such as SAHOMASI in tackling ageing issue is remarkable.” she added.

Text: Dr. Manmeet Mahinderjit Singh (School of Computer Sciences)/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin