Start: 09/2013
End: 08/2016
A (Meta-) product is now a customer driven customisable entity that integrates sensory/computing units, which are in turn connected to the cloud, leading to a paradigm shift from mass production to intelligent, over-the-web configurable products. Product design and production is however becoming highly complex and requires interdisciplinary expertise. The goal of EASY is to develop new methodologies, tools and ready-to-use components for designing and producing intelligent wearable products as Meta-Products. We propose a Cloud Computing enabled framework for the Collaborative Design and Development of Personalised Products/Services, combining embedded sensors and mobile devices with facilities for joint open development of enabling downloadable applications. The Meta-Products consist of intelligent wearables (clothing, footwear, accessories) equipped with embedded networks of sensors. Sensorial data will be communicated to smart phones via Bluetooth or Wifi. The required functionality will be configured by the end-users; the design, selection of components, sourcing of materials and sensors, virtual prototyping, as well as production planning and services integration is a collaborative process of all involved companies, designers, sensor producers, software developers and application experts. This infrastructure will enable all interested 3rd parties to offer new services to smart phone and EASY wearable users, resulting to an open platform of literally infinite applications in many target market. The EASY approach will be validated in three different industrial scenarios, i.e. rehabilitation, sport and games. The EASY-Consortium integrates competences on production methodology, system design and modeling, product lifecycle management, simulation and virtual reality, intelligent sensors, mobile-cloud systems, intelligent cloth design and production.