MY Columbus K2, Photo © Alberto Cocchi
MY Columbus K2, Photo © Alberto Cocchi

Re-entering your life space. And automatically finding the most suitable conditions for your mood: light, music, temperature, perfectly reflecting a precise state of mind. Is this science fiction? Maybe not. It is the Miracle project, the I-labs platform that calls for research and development for the creation of innovative home automation solutions for comfort and sustainability in various living spaces, partnered by Videoworks, a company – with offices in Ancona, Viareggio, Milan, Cagnes-sur-Mer (France), Schiphol Rijk (Netherlands) and Fort Lauderdale (Florida) – with over 25 years of experience and hundreds of innovative systems for audio/video, entertainment, IT, lighting & comfort, installed on board yachts sailing all over the world.

In particular, Videoworks is concentrating on the development of the MOHMI project in the field of mega yachts, with the aim of creating a system that monitors the emotions of people, altering their environmental conditions accordingly using home automation systems.

MY Columbus K2, Photo © Alberto Cocchi

Perini Navi Seven, Photo © Giuliano Sargentini – Perini Navi

The MOHMI project – smart multimedia MOnitoring systems for advanced HMI technologies in living environments – focuses on the development of an automation network equipped with emotional intelligence, to adapt its functioning to various contexts of use, maximizing comfort and enjoyment on yachts. When fully refined, the system could be also be used in the future in hotels and residences.

Starting with analysis of behavior inside the space, monitored by means of video cameras, the program is able to recognize the identity of the user, his or her emotional state and the activities being carried out. The detection and tracking of emotions is based on specially developed computer vision and machine learning algorithms, relying on input from a network of sensors. Based on the captured information, the system can then alter the characteristics of the environment, boosting personal wellness and improving the quality of the experience of interaction with the space itself. All the data are gathered and processed by the server of the yacht, and the reactions of the system can be preset with the user. For example, a client may want to have warmer lighting when they feel relaxed, or may want to listen to rock music when they are in a good mood.

“Thanks to collaboration with UNIVPM, the Università Politecnica delle Marche, the company has had access to a series of resources, know-how and advanced technologies, to create a prototype that can become a product in the future,” says Maurizio Minossi, CTO of Videoworks.

MY Columbus K2, Photo © Alberto Cocchi

MY Panam, Photo © Giuliano Sargentini

“This is fundamental for the company, because our clients are interested in the most innovative technological solutions, where they seek characteristics of uniqueness and customization. We have also had the opportunity to be in contact with other companies and researchers, which could open up new future interactions.”

Co-financed by the FESR program of the Marches Region, and now in the experimental phase, the first MOHMI system should be delivered in 2023-24.