The field of Distributed Constraint Optimization has gained momentum in recent years thanks to its ability to address various applications related to multi-agent cooperation. While techniques to solve Distributed Constraint Optimization Problems (DCOPs) are abundant and have matured substantially since the field inception, the number of DCOP realistic applications and benchmark used to asses th...

Smart homes have been an active area of research, however despite considerable investment, they are not yet a reality for end-users. Moreover, there are still accessibility challenges for the elderly or the disabled, two of the main potential targets for home automation. In this exploratory study we design a control mechanism for smart homes based on Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) and apply it...

Smart home technologies offer exciting opportunities to promote more efficient uses of energy. For instance, programmable thermostats, centralized lighting controls, and rooftop solar panels all have potential for energy conservation and efficiency. However, these technologies alone will not guarantee energy savings. Whereas previous research on smart homes has focused on the technologies thems...

Security personalization has become a critical need for smart homes in recent years. The current approaches cannot fully satisfy this requirement of user-centered security. We propose user-friendly approach the automatic configuration home security solutions through policy-based management, minimizing human interventions, and improving usability.

In this paper, we review an emerging type of dwelling, indicated as Smart Home, with a focus on future user lifestyles, needs and preferences. Researchers envision a future information society stemming from the convergence of ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous communication and intelligent environments, especially residential environment. Smart Homes have noble aims; they are said to be able to s...

Smart homes have emerged because people wanted to improve and optimize the comfort in their homes, minimizing at the same time daily home responsibilities. The first automated home systems have been presented at the Chicago and New York World Fairs in 1934 and 1939. Introducing more wires in the home was carried out by some hobbyists in the 1960-ies but at the time, technologies did not offer t...

Ideally, smart homes should make its inhabitants’ lives more comfortable by anticipating their needs and satisfying their preferences. With this aim, we introduce an approach for context-aware personalized smart homes based on two main pillars: the Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi) platform and the Semantic Web philosophy. By combining both fields, we enrich the OSGi service-oriented archi...