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Home of the Future Opens its Doors Philips has unveiled HomeLab, a real house filled with state-of-the-art technology that will be tested by normal people in an everyday environment. ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), April 23, 2002 - Would you like sit in your armchair and select your favourite tune by humming it? Can you imagine dimming the room's lights by just saying the command? Would you believe that your bathroom mirror will be able tell you that you are ill? From today, these dreams will take a big step on the road to reality as Philips officially opens HomeLab, a real house filled with state-of-the-art technology that will be tested by normal people in an everyday environment. Unlike traditional product testing facilities, HomeLab is a live-in "home" (with living room, kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom and study) that is linked through hidden cameras, microphones and one-way mirrors to sophisticated observations rooms. This allows Philips' researchers to "live" with the occupants 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week to better understand their needs and motivations, and bring the best products to market as quickly as possible. Biofeedback technology is embedded into everyday household objects such as a bathroom mirror for Philips' researchers to test activities. HomeLab features a range of Ambient Intelligent prototypes-technologies that are sensitive, personalized, adaptive and responsive to people. It includes home entertainment systems that can respond to human voice commands or create digital fantasy environments for virtual reality games; biofeedback technology embedded into everyday household objects such as a bathroom mirror; and an interactive user interface that consolidates multiple home devices into a single system for managing typical digital activities such as recording a voicemail, watching a video or listening to music from any room in the home. Most connections are wireless, with systems controlled by handheld devices as well as large-area flat-panel displays, and the HomeLab's wireless LAN (Local Area Network) has access to the outside world via broadband internet. Chunky black boxes housing televisions or stereo apparatus will be a thing of the past. TV pictures can be projected onto blank walls. Music will come from MP3s stored on the HomeLab computer jukebox, which can even recognise and play a hummed tune. Traditional testing has relied upon volunteers testing a new product for a limited time before giving their opinion, often only after a matter of hours. Although this provides good initial feedback, it does not identify whether consumers will become bored, frustrated, or even angry with a product over time. With HomeLab, "residents" will be staying for between 24 hours and two months, depending on the type of research being conducted. Philips researchers can "live" with the consumer 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week to better understand their needs and motivations, and bring the best products to market in the quickest possible timeframe. "To achieve a world in which Ambient Intelligence is pervasive, we need to teach technology to react to humans rather than forcing humans to 'program' technology," said Erkki Liikanen, the Commissioner responsible for the European Union's investment in Philips HomeLab. "We also need to create technology that understands cultural differences, closes gaps in technology standards and is affordable for businesses to bring to market. Studying these human needs at a facility like Philips HomeLab brings us closer to understanding how technology can really make a difference." The European Commission is spends some 3.6 billion euro per 4 years on their R&D program "Information Society Technologies" (IST), for which Liikanen is responsible. Philips is participating with more than 100 projects in the IST programme. Philips reported a net profit of eur 9 million in the first quarter of 2002. In a statement issued April 16 from the company's headquarters in Amsterdam, Gerard Kleisterlee, Philips' President and CEO, said, "It seems that the worst slump in recent business history is behind us now, and that we begin to see the start of a new upturn in the business cycle." "We are encouraged by the improved performance in many of our businesses, especially in Semiconductors and Components, supported by a record Q1 performance at DAP, strong sales growth at Medical Systems, and good performance at CE in Europe." "In general," continued Kleisterlee, "the first quarter of the year seems to confirm that markets are bottoming out, and inventory corrections have stopped, but overall market conditions are still fragile. The US economy is showing some positive signs, including a recovery of consumer and business confidence to pre-September 11 levels. Economic conditions in Europe were slightly weaker, caused by lower exports. The economies in Latin America remained depressed as the turmoil in Argentina and weakness in Brazil affected the whole region. Business conditions in Asia Pacific are developing very well, with China and Korea standing out," stated Kleisterlee. Return to St. Louis Front Page The Saint Louis Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2008 Moore Design Group .

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