Philips has developed a common language for describing eperiences within an Ambient Intelligence environment: the Physical Markup Language (PML). With the system, your room could reflect in real time the book you’re reading or the movie you’re watching. Almost any device can be PML-enabled: lights could get brighter or dimmer, or change colour; the hi-fi would provide an appropriate soundscape, etc.

To illustrate the principle, Philips Research has developed a PML-enhanced Little Red Riding Hood storybook. As you turn the pages of the book, the book knows exactly where you are in the story. The PML associated with the scene described on that page is communicated to the space and the Ambient Intelligence devices collaboratively transport you into the world of the story.

Little Red Riding Hood sets out for Granny’s house, walking across the fields. The sky is blue, birds sing in the trees and Little Red Riding Hood is happily humming away to herself. “The PML representation associated with this page is transmitted to the room: the lights mimic daylight on a sunny day, the hi-fi locates a birdsong soundtrack, and a breeze wafts from a fan in the corner. Even Little Red Riding Hood’s humming is heard from one of the speakers. But later, when she is deep in the forest and the wolf suddenly appears: the lights go down, you hear brooding music, and a cold draft catches the back of your neck. Suddenly a low growl shakes your chair, and a pair of wolf eyes peer out from the TV…”