Ambient Intelligence in extreme environments
Promoting interaction through spatial intelligence in extreme environments
The project is investigating how ambient intelligence can be used in extreme environments such as space to specifically promote social interactions and emotional stability within teams, whilst at the same time developing new forms of human-machine interaction.
| Project lead: | Prof. Andrea Krajewski, Prof. Bernhard Humm |
| Project team: | Florian Grünewald |
| Duration: | March 2024 to September 2027 |
| Funding: | ESA (Open Space Innovation Platform) & h_da |
Extreme environments such as the deep sea, Antarctica or space present people with particular psychological and physical challenges. In such contexts, the quality of interpersonal relationships and the design of technical support systems take on greater significance. The project investigates how so-called ambient intelligence – that is, intelligent, context-aware environments – can foster collaboration in small groups whilst enabling new forms of human–machine interaction.
Project Overview
The focus is on developing interactive media that function as ‘spatial intelligence’ in extreme situations. Previous approaches have relied on Human-Autonomy-Teaming (HAT), i.e. collaboration with AI systems that behave in a human-like manner and mimic human team members. However, initial research findings show that such artificial team-mates often provoke mistrust due to their lack of transparency and can have a negative impact on team dynamics. This project therefore takes a different approach: it is developing an independent role for the autonomous agent, specifically linked to the principle of ambient intelligence (AmI). Ambient intelligence is intended to respond dynamically to group processes and help to foster social interactions as well as the emotional stability of team members.
These concepts are modelled using sociological, psychological and Computer Science insights and are subsequently tested in real-world scenarios in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). Space serves as an exemplary test environment – a place of extreme isolation, limited resources and high psychological stress. It is there that ‘space intelligence’ is being tested as an intelligent support system.
Aim of the project
This field of research aims to investigate such support systems as interactive media in order to bolster the group’s resilience. In doing so, interactive media not only provide technological assistance to the group but are also intended to foster positive person-to-person interactions and thereby improve relationships amongst team members.
