Meet the Meter: Visualising Smart Grids using Self-Organising Institutions and Serious Games
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The document discusses the development of a user-infrastructure interface for smart grids that enhances consumer participation through information visualization and serious games. It highlights the importance of user engagement for effective grid operation and decision-making, while addressing the challenges of user awareness and data privacy. The integration of advanced technologies such as smart meters within a virtual environment aims to foster long-term engagement and improve understanding of resource allocation and sustainability.
Meet the Meter: Visualising Smart Grids using Self-Organising Institutions and Serious Games
- 1. Meet the Meter: Visualising SmartGrids using Self-Organising Institutions and Serious Games Aikaterini Bourazeri1 , Jeremy Pitt1 , Pablo Almajano2 , Inmaculada ıguez2 and Maite Lopez-Sanchez2 Rodr´ 1 Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering Imperial College London, SW7 2BT UK 2 Departament de Matem`tica Aplicada i An`lisi a a Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain 10th September 2012 Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 1 / 17
- 2. Agenda Agenda Smart Grids User-Infrastructure Interfaces User Participation Proposal: Serious Game Institutions A Working Example Summary and Conclusions Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 2 / 17
- 3. Smart Grids Smart Grids use Information Technology and Communications to underpin the network’s infrastructure and performance. Meeting Targets: Global warming & carbon dioxide emissions Consumer demand for low & competitive electricity prices Guaranteed security & protection against malicious attacks Electrification of transport & heating Smoothing out peak demand Although SmartGrids focus on the demand-side and are predicated on consumer participation, the User-Infrastructure Interface is still largely neglected. Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 3 / 17
- 4. Smart Grids We propose a User-Infrastructure Interface in which: Information visualisation for comparative feedback New affordances for the Smart Meters are integrated within a virtual environment for a Serious Game. Users will ”Meet the Meter”, providing ’assistive awareness’ and gain experience and knowledge for long-term engagement with the new infrastructure. Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 4 / 17
- 5. User-Infrastructure Interfaces A User-Interface aims to extend the communication bridge between the consumers and the Smart Grid. We have focused on two studies: Almajano - Assistance Infrastructure for open MAS for both human and software agents. It is composed of two layers for agent interaction, historical information and general assistance. Fung Lam - Infrastructure development and maintenance for irrigation management system in Nepal. New technology infrastructure could improve system’s performance, but it depends on the institutions and their effectiveness. Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 5 / 17
- 6. User Participation Engaging Users through Serious Games ‘Serious games are digital games, simulations and virtual environments which purpose is not only to entertain, but also to assist learning and help users develop skills such as decision-making, long-term engagement and collaboration.‘ Features: Thought-provoking Informative Stimulating Promote active involvement & participation Two ways for encouraging consumer participation inside the grid: Serious virtual worlds for direct consumer participation Game for training purposes Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 6 / 17
- 7. User Participation Users and Comparative Feedback A mean for engaging users with the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI): Based on actual energy consumption Provided on frequent basis Comparison of past energy consumptions Helps consumers identify their consumption patterns Studies: Darby - comparative feedback more effective than direct (up to 10 % decrease in energy consumption) Fischer - a way of triggering users’ behaviours and habits (up to 12 % decrease in energy use) Moere - encourages social involvement and competition, increases awareness towards energy consumption Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 7 / 17
- 8. User Participation Smart Meters They are like the known meters that are installed on our households for reading the electricity consumption, but with advanced features. User interface for communication & interaction Control the energy consumption Process and transmit consumer’s information to energy providers Remote reading via a mobile application Real-time pricing display Connected to electrical appliances Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 8 / 17
- 9. Proposal: Serious Game Institutions Development of a User-Infrastructure Interface for Smart Grids: Information visualisation for comparative feedback New affordances for the Smart Meters Encapsulation of self-organisation aspects Supports the principles for enduring institutions ‘Assistive awareness‘ for necessary experience & user engagement Better understanding of resource allocation, prices, investment decisions & grid’s sustainability Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 9 / 17
- 10. Proposal: Serious Game Institutions Table: Ostrom’s Principles encapsulated by a Serious Game Serious Game Ostrom’s Principles User Participation Clearly defined bound- Game access aries Congruence between Locations supporting appropriation/provision comparative feedback rules and local environ- for different ‘roles’ ment Collective choice ar- Deliberative Assembly rangements location Monitoring Smart Meters Graduated Incentives Sanctions and rewards Conflict resolution Court Room location Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 10 / 17
- 11. Proposal: Serious Game Institutions Principle 1: The online world represents the institution and a membership for playing a character is needed. Principle 2: Visualisation of different sorts of data for different purposes, enabling users to configure the rules of their institution. Principle 3: Specialised decision-making forum for collective choice (deliberative assembly). Principle 4: The data will be streamed by some kind of monitoring agency (Smart Meters). Principle 5: The virtual environment rewards the successful game play and sanctions inappropriate behaviour. Principle 6: When disputes occur, they can be resolved in another specialised location (‘Court Room‘). Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 11 / 17
- 12. Proposal: Serious Game Institutions Different ‘Consumer‘ Roles in the Smart Grids: Prosumer: makes choices about prices, which energy provider to get his/her electricity from, selling surplus energy back to the grid. Citizen: may be concerned with collective utility and the impact of his/her consumption profile on global warming, has an interest in setting and meeting policy targets. Practitioner: might be concerned with coordinated activity for storage and planning local (micro-Grid) developments. Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 12 / 17
- 13. A Working Example Focus on the use of advanced technologies to build the communication bridge between ‘consumers‘ and the Smart Grid. Virtual Institutions (VI): 3D normative environments for direct human participation in an Electronic Institution (human & software agents). Electronic Institution (EI): an organisation centred multi-agent system, which models the market (defining roles and interaction protocols). Virtual World (VW): 3D advanced interface for direct human inclusion in the system. Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 13 / 17
- 14. A working example Virtual Institution (combination of 3D Virtual Worlds (VW) and Electronic Institutions (EI)) can model a Serious Game for Smart Grids. Provide all the necessary means for human inclusion in the system A human can control his/her avatar (embodied character) Enhanced visualisation information of the system and its facilities Participants’ interaction in a seamless and intuitive way (voice, chat, gestures) Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 14 / 17
- 15. A Working Example Six different activities can be enabled in the Serious Game: Smart Grid Presentation Private Information Public Information Simulation Assembly Conflict Resolution Figure: Virtual World populated by 3D virtual characters performing collective arrangements (human-human and human-agent interactions) Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 15 / 17
- 16. Summary and Conclusions Research Contribution: a User-Infrastructure Interface for Smart Grids, in which information visualisation for comparative feedback, Smart Meters and user participation are integrated into a virtual environment. Using a Smart Meter to provide ‘assistive awareness‘ in a Serious Game: Enables long-term user engagement Offers participants a deeper insight into decision-making, resource allocation and sustainability in their different roles Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 16 / 17
- 17. Summary and Conclusions Restrictions concerning the user participation inside the grid: The majority of users are not aware of grid management A high percentage of user participation is needed for an efficient grid operation Decision-making should be immediate and accurate Users have to invest money on amenities with long-term benefits Users should know their exact role inside the grid Collection of personal data should be done carefully Bourazeri, Pitt, Almajano, Rodr´ ıguez, Lopez-Sanchez Meet the Meter 17 / 17