This volume contains the proceedings of three KES conferences: Intelligent Decision Technologies (KES-IDT-14), Intelligent Interactive Multimedia Systems and Services (KES-IIMSS-14), and Smart Technology-based Education and Training (KES-STET-14). These events were held as part of the Smart Digital Futures 2014 (SDF-14) multi-theme conference in Chania, on the island of Crete in Greece, on 18–20 June 2014.

Smart Digital Futures was organised as part of the KES International conference portfolio. For over a decade the mission of KES International has been to provide a professional community, networking and publication opportunities for all those who work in knowledge-intensive subjects. At KES we are passionate about the dissemination, transfer, sharing and brokerage of knowledge. The KES community consists of several thousand experts, scientists, academics, engineers, students and practitioners who participate in KES activities. KES runs conferences in different countries of the world on leading edge topics including Intelligent Systems, Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, Innovation, Knowledge Transfer and Enterprise, and Digital Media. KES provides routes to publication, such as journals, book series, and online publications, both through its own media and in conjunction with major publishers. KES also provides knowledge transfer services and consultancy through the Institute of Knowledge Transfer (IKT).

The aim of Smart Digital Futures was to bring together researchers working at the leading edge of developments in smart systems and intelligent technology theory and applications.

This volume contains approximately 80 papers selected from a much greater number after full peer review by members of the International Programme Committees of the three conferences.

We thank the four keynote speakers for providing informative accounts of the latest research in this area: Prof Vladimir Tikhomirov, Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics, Russia; Prof George A. Tsihrintzis, University of Piraeus, Greece; Prof Nikos Tsourveloudis, Technical University of Crete, Greece; and Prof Maria Virvou, University of Piraeus, Greece.

We appreciate the efforts of those organising and chairing special sessions, members of the International Programme Committee and reviewers and we thank them. We are grateful to authors for the papers they have contributed to the conference, and to delegates for their attendance and we give them our thanks.

Finally we thank the conference administration for their organisational efforts, and the people of Chania for welcoming us to their city.

R.J. Howlett and L.C. Jain