In discussions on smart grids, it is often stated that residential end-users will play a more active role in the management of the electric power system. Experience in practice on how to empower end-users for such a role is however limited. This paper presents a field study in the first phase of the …

Project idee e-Home.

In this paper Etto Salomons presents his vision of the GoGreen project on a smart home that is capable of decreasing energy consumption while at the same time increasing user comfort. To identify the main challenges he introduces a general model for intelligent homes that describes the current state, …

Expectations are high with regards to smart home technology. In particular, smart home technology is expected to support or enable independent living by older adults. This raises the question: can smart home technology contribute to independent living, according to older adults themselves? This chapter …

Technology that supports older adults can have a positive effect on their psychological and physical well-being in a way that they may live independently for longer periods of time. This study is conducted to identify relevant factors that influence the use of smart home and telecare technologies in …

The 'implementation' and use of smart home technology to lengthen independent living of non-instutionalized elderly have not always been flawless. The purpose of this study is to show that problems with smart home technology can be partially ascribed to differences in perception of the stakeholders involved. …

The effectiveness of smart home technology in home care situations depends on the acceptance and use of the technology by both users and end-users. In the Netherlands many projects have started to introduce smart home technology and telecare in the homes of elderly people, but only some have been successful. …

Background: Most older adults prefer to age in place, and supporting older adults to remain in their own homes and communities is also favored by policy makers. Technology can play a role in staying independent, active and healthy. However, the use of technology varies considerably among older adults. …