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228 HANDBOOK OF ELECTRONIC ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

toilet flush) and actuators (lights, windows, doors, front door and remote switching of a
kettle). The system could be operated from wall switches and a remote unit and the video
entry allowed messages to be left at the front door. The unspecified problems associated
with the project development meant that proper maintenance arrangements had not been
put in place. The result of this was that as elements of the technology malfunctioned they
were not replaced, which led eventually to the complete removal of the system. Although
the bungalow does anecdotally appear to have been a short-term success, the experiences
associated with the abandoned second project bungalow and failing to negotiate effective
maintenance ended Cumbria’s interest in developing a smart house strategy and their
focus is currently on wide-scale telecare rollout.

CUSTODIAN

CUSTODIAN was a fourth framework project funded under the Telematics Application
Programme DE4004 that sought to develop smart home software to enable the design
of smart homes for disabled people. The 4-year project comprised parties from Reading
University, the University of Porto, ABB, the Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation (CBIR),
Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and lead partners the Robert Gordon
University. In designing the software the project also funded the development of smart res-
idences, including the first system designed specifically for an individual with an acquired
brain injury. The Dundee demonstrator led directly to the transitional living unit (TLU),
Tayside Learning Disabilities (LD)resettlement project and the Cambus Smart Cottage
(Dewsbury et al., 2001, 2002; Edge et al., 2000).
The TLU was a fully adapted, community-based accommodation that was developed
jointly in 1999 by the CBIR, Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee, and the Housing Department,
Dundee City Council. It was established to support various aspects of the rehabilitation of
in-patients of the CBIR with ABI. In 2005 work began to modify the TLU to incorporate a
full KNX-based system to increase its value as a rehabilitation tool and assessment facility,
and fully assess the viability of the technology in patients with ABI. The system design was
carried out with support from a clinical team from the CBIR, consisting of a clinical psy-
chologist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist and nurse. It was agreed
that the facility should be designed to cater for use by adults with learning disabilities,
so the Tayside Adult Learning Disability Service provided a clinical team to support the
design specification process. Key design criteria included the need for the flat to accom-
modate the needs of patients with ABI; in particular that it should present a familiar envi-
ronment that required no relearning for its operation.
The ‘Smart TLU’ was comprehensively configured for both sensing (passive infrared
sensors (PIRs), presence detection, door and window contacts, thermostats, smoke, heat,
gas, flood and all light/mains switches) and actuation (lights, mains, doors, windows,
water, gas and radiators). Each room incorporated signal interfaces with a number of
channels of freely configurable input/output, some of which were allocated for control of
voice recorders used to provide verbal feedback. The facility could be monitored and con-
trolled remotely over a secure internet connection and also incorporated both a telephone