Face Detection in Intelligent Ambiences with Colored Illumination

Human face detection is an essential step in the creation of intelligent lighting ambiences, but the constantly changing multi-color illumination makes reliable face detection more challenging. Therefore, we introduce a new face detection and localization algorithm, which retains a high performance under various indoor illumination conditions. The method is based on the creation of a robust skin mask, using general color constancy techniques, and the application of the Viola-Jones face detector on the candidate face areas. Extensive experiments, using a challenging state-of-the-art database and a new one with a wider variation in colored illumination and cluttered background, show a significantly better performance for the newly proposed algorithm than for the most widely used face detection algorithms

4th International Symposium on Ambient Intelligence (ISAmI 2013)

Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is a recent paradigm emerging from Artificial Intelligence (AI), where computers are used as proactive tools assisting people with their day-to-day activities, making everyone’s life more comfortable. Another main concern of AmI originates from the human computer interaction domain and focuses on offering ways to interact with systems in a more natural way by means user friendly interfaces. This field is evolving quickly as can be witnessed by the emerging natural language and gesture based types of interaction. The inclusion of computational power and communication technologies in everyday objects is growing and their embedding into our environments should be as invisible as possible. In order for AmI to be successful, human interaction with computing power and embedded systems in the surroundings should be smooth and happen without people actually noticing it. The only awareness people should have arises from AmI: more safety, comfort and wellbeing, emerging in a natural and inherent way. ISAmI is the International Symposium on Ambient Intelligence and aiming to bring together researchers from various disciplines that constitute the scientific field of Ambient Intelligence to present and discuss the latest results, new ideas, projects and lessons learned, namely in terms of software and applications, and aims to bring together researchers from various disciplines that are interested in all aspects of this area

Hospitality lighting solutions communication framework

Hospitality customers are looking for systems that involve more than just turning the light on and off. They want lighting solutions that are energy-efficient, flexible and that will help enhance the guest experience. Based on on-going research about the impact that light can have in different applications and an analysis of the European Hospitality market, specific total lighting solutions concepts are being developed to address these needs. Therefore, as Philips is moving from a product provider to a total solution partner, there is a need to establish a new framework to communicate about these new positions in the market, also known as propositions. Propositions are a combination of several products, a range of controls and systems in an overall solution package. Although this framework is applicable to any segment within the Philips Lighting professional market group, in this assignment Hospitality has been selected as the carrier. The first step was to translate the available Philips technologies portfolio into meaningful solutions for all relevant areas in a typical hotel. In parallel, an analysis of the end user profile and the related addressable market size was carried out to estimate the business opportunities. Last, the development of recommendations for new communication tools was made. These new tools aim to overcome the existing challenges that the sales force encounters when presenting total lighting solutions. These challenges are identified under the new solution consultative selling process framework, where the diverse Hospitality audience needs to be analyzed

Biophilic and photobiological developments of adaptive high-performance building envelopes for Northern Canada

Les configurations des enveloppes et des fenêtres des bâtiments nordiques doivent répondre aux exigences du bien-être photobiologique et psychologique des occupants par des relations positives efficaces avec la nature subarctique. Les enveloppes de bâtiments existant dans les climats (sub)arctiques du nord du Canada n'ont pas encore permis d'établir des connexions efficaces entre l'intérieur et l'extérieur afin d'aborder les relations positives entre les humains et la nature et le bien-être photobiologique et psychologique. Des connexions intérieures-extérieures efficaces indiquent une connectivité optimale de l'intérieur avec la nature subarctique extérieure répondant au bien-être des occupants et aux besoins énergétiques. Les relations positives des occupants avec la nature subarctique correspondent à des avantages maximums et des risques minimums des climats nordiques extrêmes pour le bien-être photobiologique-psychologique. L'objectif général de cette thèse est de favoriser les relations positives des occupants avec la nature subarctique au moyen de connexions efficaces entre l'intérieur et l'extérieur qui pourraient répondre aux facteurs de bien-être biophiliques et photobiologiques liés à la lumière du jour et aux photopériodes. Dans ce but, un modèle fondamental d'enveloppe de bâtiment adaptative à haute performance est développé comme une solution architecturale qui pourrait optimiser les connexions intérieur-extérieur et les principaux indicateurs biophiliques et photobiologiques. La thèse visait spécifiquement à articuler une approche photobiologique du design biophilique dans les climats nordiques extrêmes qui permet d'établir un cadre conceptuel et de design pour développer des enveloppes de bâtiments. La thèse visait également à identifier les lacunes des enveloppes de bâtiment existantes dans le Grand Nord du Canada ainsi que des systèmes d'enveloppes adaptatives existants en termes d'indicateurs biophysiques-photobiologiques. Les principaux éléments architecturaux des enveloppes adaptatives, notamment la configuration des fenêtres et les caractéristiques de surface des systèmes d'ombrage, en particulier la couleur et la réflectance, sont étudiés pour répondre aux besoins biophiles-photobiologiques des occupants du Nord. Les méthodologies de la thèse comprennent une revue de la littérature pour discuter des directives récentes de design biophilique, de l'éclairage photobiologique et des études de connectivité avec la nature par rapport aux climats subarctiques, en particulier la lumière du jour et les photopériodes. Des méthodes numériques et expérimentales ont été intégrées pour évaluer les performances biophiliques, d'éclairage photobiologique, thermiques et énergétiques des systèmes d'enveloppe pour une étude de cas d'un bureau open-plan dans le nord du Canada. Des méthodes expérimentales avec des modèles à l'échelle physique, des images à haute gamme dynamique et des techniques de post-traitement ont été utilisées pour capturer, calculer et visualiser les paramètres d'éclairage photobiologique. L'impact des caractéristiques des panneaux d'ombrage (SP) sur les performances d'éclairage photobiologique a été étudié par l'expérimentation d'environ 40 prototypes à l'échelle 1:50 et 23 prototypes à l'échelle 1:10 sous un ciel dégagé/couvert avec un éclairage naturel réel/artificiel. Des modèles numériques ont été développés pour évaluer les caractéristiques biophiques et thermiques/énergétiques des systèmes d'enveloppe. Les résultats de la thèse comprennent un cadre théorico-conceptuel du design photobiologique - biophilique qui identifie les relations positives des occupants avec la nature subarctique à travers les enveloppes. Des scénarios d'adaptation de l'éclairage photobiologique intégrés aux exigences thermiques ont été élaborés, qui permettent de répondre aux besoins photobiologiques horaires/saisonniers des occupants du Nord dans des bâtiments différents. Les lacunes des enveloppes à une peau typique du Nord du Canada et des enveloppes à plusieurs peaux avec des profondeurs d'espaces intermédiaires/cavités et des tailles de fenêtre différentes ont été spécifiquement évaluées en termes des indicateurs biophiliques, photobiologiques et thermiques. Un modèle fondamental d'enveloppes adaptatives à haute performance est proposé pour les bâtiments du Nord, qui comprend une taille de fenêtre optimale, un système d'ombrage dynamique coloré et isolé, et un système de buffer thermique constitué d'une peau extérieure en verre. Les performances d'éclairage photobiologique des configurations des SP, incluant la couleur, la réflectance, l'orientation, l'inclinaison, la densité, la taille, l'ouverture et la position à la fenêtre, ont été caractérisées. Les résultats des élévations expérimentales/numériques montrent que l'enveloppe adaptative proposée pourrait offrir des connexions intérieures-extérieures efficaces qui répondent aux besoins photobiologiques-psychologiques et aux exigences énergétiques des occupants du Nord. Les résultats de la thèse pourraient informer les architectes et les responsables politiques sur les possibilités que les enveloppes adaptatives et les cadres photobiologiques-biophiles offrent pour améliorer le bienêtre du public et l'efficacité énergétique dans les climats nordiques. Les principaux enjeux des futurs développements des bâtiments biophiliques adaptatifs dans les climats nordiques ont également été soulignés, notamment en matière d'analyses du cycle de vie et d'études socioculturelles.Sub-Arctic building envelope configurations must address occupants' photobiological-psychological wellbeing through positive relationships with the outdoor sub-Arctic nature. Existing building envelopes in Northern Canada's (sub-)Arctic climates have not, yet, enabled efficient indoor-outdoor connections to address positive human-nature relationships and photobiological-psychological wellbeing. Efficient indoor-outdoor connections indicate optimum connectivity of indoors with Northern climates in terms of occupants' wellbeing and energy factors. Positive occupants' relationships with the sub-Arctic nature refer to maximum benefits and minimum risks of the extreme cold weather and strong photoperiod of Northern climates for photo-biological and psychological wellbeing. The general objective of this dissertation is to foster positive occupants' relationships with sub-Arctic nature by enabling efficient indoor-outdoor connections which could respond to biophilic and photobiological wellbeing factors related to daylighting and photoperiods. To this end, a fundamental model of adaptive high-performance building envelopes is developed as an architectural solution which could optimize indoor-outdoor connections and main biophilic and photobiological indicators. The dissertation specifically aimed at articulating a photobiological approach to biophilic design in extreme Northern climates which enables establishing a conceptual and design framework to develop building envelopes. The thesis also focused on identifying the shortcomings of existing Canadian Northern building envelopes as well as existing adaptive envelope systems in terms of biophilicphotobiological indicators. Main architectural elements of adaptive envelopes including window configuration and surface characteristics of shading systems, in particular color and reflectance, are explored to respond to Northern occupants' biophilic-photobiological needs. The thesis methodologies include a scoping literature review to critically discuss recent biophilic design guidelines, photobiological lighting, and nature connectedness/relatedness studies in relation to sub-Arctic climates, especially daylighting and photoperiods. Numerical and experimental methods were integrated to evaluate biophilic, photobiological lighting, thermal and energy performance of envelope systems for a case study of an open-plan office in Northern Canada. Experimental methods with physical scale models, high dynamic range imagery and post-processing techniques were employed to capture, compute, and visualize photobiological lighting parameters. Impacts of shading panels' (SPs) characteristics on photobiological lighting performance were explored by experimenting approximately 40 1:50-scale prototypes and 23 1:10-scale prototypes under clear/overcast skies with actual/artificial daylighting. Numerical models were developed to evaluate biophilic and thermal/energy performance of envelope systems. Dissertation outcomes include a theoretical-conceptual framework of photobiological-biophilic design which characterizes positive occupants' relationships with the sub-Arctic nature through envelopes. Photobiological lighting adaptation scenarios integrated with thermal requirements were developed which could address hourly/seasonal photobiological needs of Northern occupants in different buildings. Deficiencies of typical single-skin envelopes in Northern Canada and multi-skin envelopes with different depths of intermediate spaces/cavities and window sizes were specifically evaluated in terms of biophilic, photobiological lighting and thermal indicators. A fundamental model of adaptive high-performance envelopes is proposed for Northern buildings which includes an optimum window size, a dynamic-colored-insulated shading system, and a thermal buffer system made of a glazing exterior skin. Photobiological lighting performance of SPs' configurations, including color, reflectance, orientation, inclination, density, size, openness, and position at the window, were characterized. Results of experimental-numerical elevations reveal that the proposed adaptive envelope could offer efficient indoor-outdoor connections which respond to Northern occupants' photobiological-psychological needs and energy requirements. Dissertation outcomes could enlighten architects and policymakers about potentials of adaptive envelopes and integrative photobiological-biophilic frameworks to improve public wellbeing and energy efficiency in Northern climates. Major issues for future developments of adaptive biophilic buildings in Northern climates were also outlined including life cycle assessments and sociocultural studies

A photobiological approach to biophilic design in extreme climates

This paper proposes the biophilic design approach as a plausible hypothesis for the challenging conditions related to living and working in extreme cold climates. Biophilic design has recently been developed to overcome the adverse effects of the built environment and to improve human well-being by redefining the human-nature relationship. Yet, biophilic design should be adapted to extreme cold climates in order to meet the biological needs of people in northern territories. This issue becomes more important when considering the availability of natural light due to the strong seasonal photoperiod and its effects on human well-being in such regions. The present paper critically reviews biophilic design patterns and identifies their main shortcomings. These shortcomings include the lack of (1) recommendations applicable to extreme cold climates (2) adaptation to the local photoperiods, and (3) a systemic framework integrated into the design process. The paper draws attention to the image-forming and non-image-forming effects of light as a basis of the human-nature design approach. In this regard, photobiological outcomes have been reviewed. Then, the paper discusses the existing lighting standards and guidelines in North America and how they have mainly been developed to fulfil the image-forming demands for light. Further efforts are needed to revise these standards with respect to the non-image-forming effects of light and the biophilic design requirements. Finally, adaptive building envelopes are presented as a hypothetical solution to optimize the biophilic qualities of buildings and address the biological needs of people living and working in extreme cold climates in northern territories