As we are approaching the year 2010 Ambient Intelligence is on the verge to reach the milestone set in a quintessential ISTAG report. The concept of ubiquitous, efficient and seamlessly cooperating services with emphasis on user friendliness and unobtrusiveness is to be reviewed. In regard to contemporary reality many of the challenges depicted in the report are still in its infancy. Not only had the technological implementation appeared to be much more intricate. However, in the eyes of a researcher Ambient Intelligence opens new research perspectives that build on existing achievements and intertwine knowledge and experience in different seemingly distant fields. The promising research potential of Ambient Intelligence is evinced by the number of books, journals, conferences and other events. The conferences such as Ambient Intelligence Forum and the new Joint Conference on Ambient Intelligence being on the horizon for the year 2010 with other satellite conferences aiming to join in following years is just a concrete evidence.

This book aims to point to a multifaceted nature of Ambient Intelligence. The book represents a series of rather broadly oriented discussion opportunities for highlighting interdisciplinary, if not transdisciplinary aspects of rapidly evolving area of Ambient Intelligence. In particular the book draws on recent advances, promising research trends in Ambient Intelligence technology and intelligent environments, methods, as well as interesting applications in various areas of the real life.

The book presents Ambient Intelligence in five different perspectives. First perspective focuses on general issues and is discussing the concepts of Ambient Intelligence. Second perspective deals with Ambient Intelligence enablers that facilitate the development of concepts and approaches. Third perspective presents applications of Ambient Intelligence in various fields and activities. Fourth perspective is concerned with Ambient Intelligence as being materialized in intelligent environments integrating devices and knowledge in order to assists and support humans. The last perspective covers the cognitive aspects of Ambient Intelligence.

We acknowledge the support of all the partners who helped this book to become a reality. The book was supported by University of Hradec Králové (Vital mind project 7th EU Framework Programme, project no. 215387), University of Defense (Research proposal Information support of crises management in health care, no. MO0FVZ0000604), Hradec Králové Regional Authority, and Unicorn Systems, a.s. Prague. We are also grateful for selfless support of our colleagues Prof. Peter Mikulecký, Andrea Teichmannová, Vladimír Nodžák, Vojtěch Stehno and Filip Rubáček. Last but not least, we wish to thank to Dr. Juan Carlos Augusto and Maarten Fröhlich for helpful assistance in the process of preparation this book in press, and of course, for publishing the book.

In Hradec Králové, November 30^th, 2009

Editors