The Appendix gives you a quick introduction to MRST. We start by explaining how to download, install, and get started using the software. We also discuss the release policy, terms of use, and how the software has been organized into a small core that offers basic functionality and a large set of add-on modules that implement specific solvers, simulators, and tools. We briefly review all modules that are part of the 2018a release. The final two sections discuss rapid prototyping using MATLAB and MRST, present some powerful constructs you can use to speed up your MATLAB code, and explain the key ideas of automatic differentiation and how it has been implemented in MRST. Altogether, this Appendix should provide you with enough knowledge of MRST so that you can effectively use the software to further your understanding of the material presented in the main part of the book.

In this chapter, we present a background on the state of the art regarding Ambient/Active Assisted Living (AAL) related topics (i.e., Ambient Sensing, Medical Technology, and Geriatrics and Sociology). Later in the book we present the basis for current, new, and common technologies on the market (presented in Chapter 4), and ongoing research in AAL (examples presented in Chapter 5). The presented interdisciplinary content consists of social, engineering, medical, electrical, and mechatronics science, and together, they encompass the field of AAL, as well as eHealth.

In this chapter, several technological, or to be more detailed, robotic solutions from different companies and developers will be presented. This allows an overview of the state of Ambient/Active Assisted Living (AAL), which can be categorized into home care (for independent living in old age), social interaction, health and wellness, interaction and learning, working, and mobility.

In this chapter, a possible outlook into the future is provided. Considering the newest technology on the market in the young research field of AAL (see Chapter 4), and the youngest research projects (see Chapter 5), new possibilities will exist in the future design of buildings. Buildings mainly consist of four walls and a ceiling, with water and electrical supply. However, with increasing demand for assistive technologies, and with an increasing technology readiness level (TRL) [187] for assistive technologies, there will be a time when this new technology approach will fuse with future building design and construction.

Aging: no one wants to, but everyone does. Many people are scared of aging mostly because they think of ending up in a bed, doing nothing other than staring at the ceiling and depending on other people who have to sacrifice their free time and strength to care for them. Under these circumstances, not only is the quality of life gone, but also the relationship with relatives can suffer because someone might become a burden.

Scared about this fate, the elderly (and disabled) sometimes wish for suicide or euthanasia. Many need help if their independence is affected because of advanced age. Additionally, euthanasia is illegal in most modern countries.

In this chapter, several projects will be presented in order to show the current state of the art in the research and development of the integration of ambient integrated robotics. The projects focus especially on the support of the elderly and fragile people. The main aim of each single project is to keep the user physically and mentally active in order to slow down the process of senility. All the tasks that the user cannot do alone anymore must be supported by the technology. Here however, the main difficulty in each presented project is to establish the system in a way that only the minimal necessary support is offered, otherwise the user could become too inactive leading to an accelerated process of senility.

As society ages, the building stock needs to be upgraded. A proper Ambient/Active Assisted Living (AAL) implementation needs a holistic approach; consequently, the environment itself needs to be adapted to the new needs of its inhabitants. Spatially and functionally, homes, and generally the built environment, may not meet the requirements of the elderly anymore. Demographic changes and the effects of an aging society also affect buildings and the built environment. Rapid refurbishment processes, quick adaptation protocols, and appropriate maintenance procedures become a necessity in order to not disturb the elderly and provide them with comfortable and functional homes and spaces. This is the main motivation behind the message of this chapter, which deals with the issue of how to adapt the living built environment for the elderly by use of fast and unobtrusive procedures. Moreover, a method for the assessment of strategies for built environment upgrading for AAL (BeuAAL) in early stages is presented. This chapter will help encouraging several stakeholders to accomplish building renovations for the elderly using robotics and automated tools.

The stratospheric ozone layer results from the photolysis of molecular oxygen by ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation in the high atmosphere. This large atmospheric layer is stable and, therefore, affects the general atmospheric circulation by decreasing significantly the vertical motions of air parcels. In addition, ozone protects the Earth from harmful UV radiation. Therefore, its destruction by anthropogenic activities may lead to public health impacts. This chapter presents first some fundamentals of atmospheric chemical kinetics (i.e., the speed at which chemical reactions occur in the atmosphere), which are needed to understand the processes leading to the presence of the ozone layer. These notions are also needed to understand the formation of gaseous and particulate pollutants, which is presented in the following chapters. Next, the processes that govern the ozone layer are described in terms of its natural formation and its destruction by man-made substances. Finally, the public policies introduced to address the protection of the stratospheric ozone layer are summarized.

Population exposure to air pollution occurs mostly near the Earth’s surface. Furthermore, most air pollution sources are located near the Earth’s surface (some exceptions include tall stacks, aircraft emissions, and volcanic eruptions). Therefore, the meteorological phenomena of the lower layers of the atmosphere are the most relevant to understand and analyze air pollution. The part of the atmosphere that is in contact with the Earth’s surface and is affected by it is called the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL). This chapter describes the dynamic processes that take place within the PBL. Those include, in particular, turbulent atmospheric flows and heat transfer processes, which affect air pollution near the surface. Those processes are often referred to as “air pollution meteorology,” because they are the most relevant to air pollution. The major equations governing these processes are presented. A more detailed description of the PBL is available in books such as those by Stull (1988) and Arya (2001).

Air pollution is directly affected by various aspects of meteorology, such as winds, which transport pollutants (in some cases over long distances); turbulence, which disperses air pollutants; solar radiation, which initiates photochemical reactions leading to the formation of ozone, fine particles, and acid rain; high pressure systems, which are conducive to air pollution episodes because of their calm and sunny conditions; and precipitations, which scavenge air pollutants and transfer them to other media (e.g., acid rain). Therefore, it is essential to understand general meteorological features before addressing in detail the processes that are specific to air pollution. This chapter presents first some general considerations on the atmosphere (chemical composition, pressure, and temperature). Next, the main aspects of the general atmospheric circulation are described.

Atmospheric dispersion is a very important process in air pollution. The use of tall stacks to minimize the impacts of air pollutant emissions reflected the saying that “the solution to pollution is dilution.” Although this saying turned out to be wrong for several reasons, including the cumulative effect of a large number of individual sources and the formation of secondary pollutants at large regional scales, atmospheric dispersion is nevertheless one of the key processes that govern air pollution levels. This chapter presents the fundamental processes of atmospheric dispersion, their theoretical basis, as well as the advantages and shortcomings of different types of atmospheric dispersion models.