Fuzzy control interoperability and scalability for adaptive domotic framework

The evolution of the microprocessor industry, combined with the reduction on cost and increase of efficiency, gives rise to new scenario for ubiquitous computing where humans trigger seamlessly activities and tasks using unusual (often imperceptible) interfaces according to physical space and context. Many problems must be faced: adaptivity, hybrid control strategies, system (hardware) integration, and ubiquitous networking access. In this paper, a solution that attempts to provide a flexible and dependable solution to these complicated problems is illustrated. First, an extensible markup language (XML)-derived technologies is proposed to define fuzzy markup language (FML), a markup language skilled for defining detailed structure of fuzzy control independent from its legacy representation. FML is essentially composed of three layers: 1) XML in order to create a new markup language for fuzzy logic control; 2) document type definition in order to define the legal building blocks; and 3) extensible stylesheet language transformations in order to convert a fuzzy controller description into a specific programming language. Then an agent-based framework designed for providing proactive services in domotic environments, is presented. The agent architecture, exploiting mobile computation, is able to maximize the fuzzy control deployment for the natively FML representation by performing an efficient distribution of pieces of the global control flow over the different computers. Agents are also used to capture user habits, to identify requests, and to apply the artefact-mediated activity through an adaptive fuzzy control strategy. The architecture adopts interoperability techniques that, combined with sophisticated control facilities, represent an efficient experience for adaptive domotic framework. © 2005 IEEE.