Augmented Materials and Smart Objects investigates the issues required to ensure technology platforms capable of being seamlessly integrated into everyday objects. In particular, it deals with the requirements for integrated computation and MEMs sensors, system-in-a-package solutions, and multi-chip modules. On top of this, the publication’s 500 pages cover the impact of the trend towards embedded microelectronic electronics sub-systems, novel assembly techniques for autonomous MEMs sensors, and practical performance issues that are key to the AmI concept.

Ambient Intelligence is one of the new paradigms in the development of information and communication technology, which has attracted much attention over the past years. The aim is the to integrate technology into people environment in such a way that it improves their daily lives in terms of well-being, creativity, and productivity. Ambient Intelligence is a multidisciplinary concept, which heavily builds on a number of fundamental breakthroughs that have been achieved in the development of new hardware concepts over the past years. New insights in nano and micro electronics, packaging and interconnection technology, large-area electronics, energy scavenging devices, wireless sensors, low power electronics and computing platforms enable the realization of the heaven of ambient intelligence by overcoming the hell of physics. Based on contributions from leading technical experts, this book presents a number of key topics on novel hardware developments, thus providing the reader a good insight into the physical basis of ambient intelligence. It also indicates key research challenges that must be addressed in the future.

This volume contains the proceedings of the Second European Ambient Intelligence (AmI) Conference. The conference took place in Erlangen and Nürnberg, November 19–22, 2008. The concept of ambient intelligence (AmI) was introduced in the late 1990s as a novel paradigm for electronic environments for the years 2010-2020. It builds on the early visions of Weiser describing a novel mobile computing infrastr- ture integrated into the networked environment of people. According to early defi- tions, AmI refers to smart electronic surroundings that are sensitive and responsive to the presence of people. The added value for the multi-dimensional society we are living in lies in the fact that the large-scale integration of microelectronics into the environment enables people and objects to interact with this environment in a se- less, trustworthy, and natural manner. Obviously, AmI solutions deliver a new quality of communication and information exchange, they help people to fulfill their professional tasks with increasing efficiency, enable the older generation to stay much longer in the privacy of their own homes and the younger one to lead a healthy and responsible life. Smart mobile devices navigate in private apartments as well as in complex public or industrial environments in order to support people with a broad variety of services.

Microsystems are an important factor that contribute to an automobile model's success. To meet the customer's desire for safety, convenience and vehicle economy, and to satisfy environmental standards, microsystems play a critical factor. Microsystems applications (MST) have already resulted in improved performance and better value for money. But the advances implemented reveal only the beginning of a revolution in the vehicle sector, which aims at a complete transition from the mechanically driven automobile system to a mechanically based but ICT-driven system. The selected contributions from AMAA 2003 treat safety (both preventive and protective), powertrain (online measurement and control of engine and transmission subsystems), comfort and HMI (systems to enhance the comfort of passengers and human machine interface issues), and networked Vehicle (all aspects of intra car systems and ambient communication networks).

Our homes anticipate when we want to wake up. Our computers predict what music we want to buy. Our cars adapt to the way we drive. In today’s world, even washing machines, rice cookers and toys have the capability of autonomous decision-making. As we grow accustomed to computing power embedded in our surroundings, it becomes clear that these ‘smart environments’, with a number of devices controlled by a coordinating system capable of ‘ambient intelligence’, will play an ever larger role in our lives. This handbook provides readers with comprehensive, up-to-date coverage in what is a key technological field. . Systematically dealing with each aspect of ambient intelligence and smart environments, the text covers everything, from visual information capture and human/computer interaction to multi-agent systems, network use of sensor data, and building more rationality into artificial systems. The book also details a wide range of applications, examines case studies of recent major projects from around the world, and analyzes both the likely impact of the technology on our lives, and its ethical implications. With a wide variety of separate disciplines all conducting research relevant to this field, this handbook encourages collaboration between disparate researchers by setting out the fundamental concepts from each area that are relevant to ambient intelligence and smart environments, providing a fertile soil in which ground-breaking new work candevelop.

Microsystems for Bioelectronics is the ultimate guide in the biomedical application industry. It provides a physics-based assessment of the limitless potential of miniaturization technologies. This book goes far beyond the complete design of the final systems. It also discusses the developments of computation and communication subsystems. The future of this technology lies in understanding the scaling limits for the individual systems. This includes all of its components and the fundamental energy source that powers all autonomous microsystems. Rapid advances in microfabrication technologies are offering new opportunities and capabilities to develop systems for biomedical applications. These applications include the diagnostics community and those that are active in therapy services. Microsystems for Bioelectronics is one of the only books on the market today that goes into the comprehensive treatment of integrated microsystems.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 12th Annual Conference Towards Autonomous Robotics Systems, TAROS 2011, held in Sheffield, UK, in August/September 2011. The 32 revised full papers presented together with 29 two-page abstracts were carefully reviewed and selected from 94 submissions. Among the topics addressed are robot navigation, robot learning, human-robot interaction, robot control, mobile robots, reinforcement learning, robot vehicles, swarm robotic systems, etc.

Today's professionals are constantly striving to create sensor technology and systems with lower cost and higher efficiency. Miniaturization and standardization have become critical drivers for cost reduction in the design and development process, giving rise to a new era of smart sensors and actuators. These devices contain more components, but normally provide significant cost savings due to wider applicability and mass production. This first-of-its-kind resource presents methods for cost optimization of smart microsystems to help you select highly cost-efficient implementation variants. Written by leading experts, the book offers detailed coverage of the key topics that you need to understand for your work in the field, such as methods for cost estimation, holistic design optimization, a methodology for a cost-driven design, and applied cost optimization. This practical book focuses on fundamental cost influences rather than absolute numbers, helping you appreciate relative values which reflect the competitive advantage of the various design implementations. Moreover, you find specific recommendations on which cost-reduction methods will be most advantageous in varying situations. This forward-looking volume provides keen insight into the underlying factors which drive the current economics and determine future trends of smart microsystems.

This book constitutes a selection of papers presented at the 8th Italian Conference on Sensors and Microsystems. It contains contributions on sensors, microsystems, actuators and related interface electronics. Aspects of chemistry, biology and materials science are also covered. In addition, special sensor applications of industrial interest are presented and discussed.The proceedings have been selected for coverage in: ? Materials Science Citation Index?? Index to Scientific & Technical Proceedings? (ISTP? / ISI Proceedings)? Index to Scientific & Technical Proceedings (ISTP CDROM version / ISI Proceedings)? CC Proceedings ? Engineering & Physical Sciences