ModernSteward is an open-source home and computer automation system, enabling the users to command verbally, over the Internet, using cell phone and even Skype, their computer and other electrical devices connected to it.

The authors have developed numerous devices using the open source hardware platform Arduino that are used to control home appliances. A couple of them are demonstrated on the stand. Tutorials how to build them are uploaded on the website of the product.

ModernSteward provides a plugin-based environment that ensures easy extendibility of the application’s functions. Thanks to the Plugin Market that we developed, every user can download any available fully functional plugin; moreover developers are able to upload their plugin to the Plugin market. Even the non-programmers are able to create their own plugin using the developed Macro recorded.

• Elderly people

• Disabled people (blind people)

• Laboratories

• Factories

• Business

• People who want to make their daily activities easier

Last but not least, the entire implementation is open-source, aiming to aid developers in contributing to the future development of the project.

According to the statistics cited by the European commission it is expected that the number of the elderly population in Europe will increase in the next years.

ModernSteward provides its users with control not only over the Internet, using cell phone or Skype but – verbal commands, which is a unique functionality compared to the other smart home systems on the market.

Mainly because of its speech recognition, ModernSteward is suitable for the elderly and disabled, who might otherwise require caregivers or institutional care, providing them with increased quality of life.

Even more, ModernSteward is available to users with low to average income and provides functionality that is not currently affordable in this price range.

The plans for future development of the product and its functionality include changes and updates to the core and the speech recognition engine. Several new features are in state of testing or creation like action recognition – we will use an algorithm that analyzes body movements and reacts accordingly. This will allow the user to command his/her household not only verbally but with a simple gesture.

The ultimate goal of the team is to develop a cloud system which allows the user to control in various ways e.g. WEB, Cellular, verbal, gestures, etc., his/her entire surroundings.

ModernSteward makes the computer work more natural, brings full control over almost all house appliances and helps people with disadvantages in their daily activities. Moreover the system can be used to improve and hasten the work process at factories, laboratories, etc.

Thanks to the way it is being built, the project can easily be extended and enriched with more functionality, with new modules and plugins that will be accessible through the Plugin market.