AmI-Book
AmI technologies are likely to play a key role in respect to the innovation of industrial collaborative working environments. The book presents a new approach how to bring AmI technologies to the industrial sector of manufacturing SMEs, requiring an indispensable harmonised approach on both, technological and methodological innovations. In this regard, the AMI-4-SME Methodology is presented how to plan, implement and validate AmI-based business processes innovations for the optimisation of a shop-floor control in an Extended Enterprise environment. Furthermore, the book addresses the required complementary strategic approach on how AmI technology vendors should align their product portfolio to optimally address the huge but difficult SME market segment.
Targeting a sound and common understanding on Ambience Intelligence a Reference Model for Ambient Intelligence in Industry is introduced defining the term Ambient Intelligence for the manufacturing domain.
The presented Business Process Innovation Methodology guides SMEs to reengineer the actual methods of work and targets at an optimal ICT support of the new methods of work, to eliminate the weak points in the business processes execution, that are hindering the achievement of the competition critical company objectives. Thereby, the presented methodology covers the process as well as the human centric optimisation dimension. It also supports the continuous business improvement process, driven by the company staff, that is required for a successful business innovation in SMEs.
The set of AmI Building Block technologies (Mobile multimodal services, RFID technology and Speech recognition system) is described, representing basic enabling technologies which allow an easy integration in different processes/ system solutions within different SME environments. This innovative Building Block approach specifically offers new business opportunities for AmI technology vendors.
The five Business Cases of European SMEs, addressing production control and maintenance processes, serve as reference scenarios for the development and the verification of the innovation methodology as well as of the AmI Building Blocks technologies.
The AmI-Book is aiming at an essential contribution to the migration of AmI philosophy and technology to manufacturing SMEs. By providing a clear view on how to make AmI technology solutions affordable for SMEs and enabling them to provide human and end-user centred services, the book may contribute to significantly improve the competitiveness of SMEs. Especially the developed AMI-4-SME Methodology for the introduction of AmI technology will create a new innovation culture in SMEs Europe-wide, enabling them to maintain continuous innovations, guaranteeing their competitiveness on the long-term. Company staff will regard required improvements not as problems anymore but as challenges.