Configuration of the computing and communications systems found at home and in the workplace is a complex system design that currently requires the attention of the user. Recently, researchers have begun to explore computers that would autonomously configure their functionality based on observations of who or what is surrounding them. By determining their context, using input from sensor systems distributed throughout the environment, computing devices could personalize themselves to their current user, adapt their behaviour according to their location, or interact to their surroundings. This field of intelligence is called Ambient Intelligence (AmI). There has been increasing interest in building networks with AmI, which incorporates the user-centricity and context awareness, or in short AmI is a new information paradigm where people are empowered through a digital environment that is ?aware? of their presence, context and is sensitive, adaptive, responsive to their needs and requests. Users? environments are going to be disseminated of intelligent adaptive devices and sensors that will coordinate each other to help users in their activities with the help of AmI concepts and designs. This paper introduces the concept of AMI, explains the need for such an intelligence and also waves light over the different innovations done in this promising field of science and technology. This paper also addresses the topic of providing context aware services in smart environments. We review recent works in smart environments, and further defines and debates essential aspects concerning context-aware service supply. Future challenges for the research in context-aware smart environments are also discussed.
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