2 The Psychology of Ambient Intelligence : Activity , Situation and Presence

The chapter outlines a psychological framework for the concept of Ambient Intelligence (AmI), centered on three concepts: action, situation and presence. Using this framework it is provided a psychological definition of AmI, based on the experience of the user: AmI is the effective and transparent support to the activity of the subject/s through the use of information and communication technologies. The definition points at “activity support” as the core of the AmI experience. Further, it identifies “effectiveness” the activity reaches its objective and “transparency” the activity is experienced without breakdowns as the key characteristics of an effective AmI system. Using these features, the chapter highlights some general guidelines to support the work of AmI developers. Further, it identifies possible AmI applications related to the support and tracking of the subject’s activity: AmI may offer a guidance/support to the activity of the subject and/or provide a feedback related to its status.

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