The development of communicative functions in the home will enable a large number of personalised services to be developed: guards, home helps, assistants,personalised e-commerce, etc.
For the "Studio créatif" of France Telecom R&D, the communicating home is a place where services are deployed, where inter-object communication and multimedia possibilities are implemented.
Nowadays, a refrigerator is a means of storing
fresh products to be eaten in the next few days. However, the fundamental
need is not to possess a refrigerator but to have a regular stock of fresh
products available at the best prices.
If the refrigerator communicates with the outside world, a software assistant
can handle procurement under the best conservation conditions. It involves
delegating regular or even repetitive actions to assistants and services
in order to simplify everyday life.
Technological breaktroughs,
behaviour and usages breakthroughs: we are at the core of "Studio créatif"
's professional mission. To turn this communicating home into a reality,
for a number of families it is important for users to actually become aware
of the added value.
The services to be invented must satisfy the need for a change in lifestyle
and a significant improvement in everyday life. They must be simple to purchase,
simple to install, simple to use and simple to repair.
For users to become aware of the actual added value of the services, " the Studio créatif" associates them with its approach from the initial concept studies. Service concepts gradually enhance this contribution: the food preparation assistant suggests a recipe to use up left-over, I can carry on chatting with my guests who are having a drink in the lounge while I'm in the kitchen, etc.
