SHAH ALAM: Technology that has transformed digital characters in video games is set to find a new application in residential living as i-City advances its plans for AI Living @ i-City.
i-City is working with TwinMatrix Technologies to develop i-Ris, the artificial intelligence (AI) companion for AI Living, drawing on Nvidia's digital-human and accelerated computing technologies, alongside TwinMatrix's expertise in spatial AI, digital twins and intelligent systems integration.
The initiative envisages two complementary applications of Nvidia technology – Nvidia Avatar Cloud Engine (Ace), to create a lifelike digital avatar through which residents interact naturally with their homes, and Nvidia GPU computing, to provide the processing power supporting the AI intelligence.
The objective is to move beyond conventional smart homes towards an intelligent living environment that understands residents' needs, anticipates preferences and helps coordinate everyday activities.
An AI companion at home
Nvidia, a global leader in graphics processing and AI computing, has extended technologies associated with gaming into digital humans capable of natural conversation and lifelike interaction.
TwinMatrix, an Nvidia Inception company, will leverage Nvidia Ace technologies to develop i-Ris, the AI companion's digital avatar, giving residents a natural, conversational interface to their homes.
Together with Nvidia accelerated computing, these technologies offer new possibilities for applying AI in residential environments, where residents could interact naturally with intelligent services.
i-Ris is envisaged as a personal assistant that learns residents' preferences, helps organise schedules, provides interactive education and information, and supports everyday activities.
It is intended to go beyond conversation by coordinating residents' needs with the different technologies supporting AI Living.
TwinMatrix founder and chief executive officer Eric Liu said that by leveraging Nvidia's advanced AI technologies, the company aims to create a unified, intelligent living experience.
“Our vision is to make AI Living more than a collection of smart devices. We want to create an intelligent environment where residents can interact naturally with their homes, while the underlying systems work together to support their everyday needs. Nvidia technologies can help enable the digital-human interface and AI computing behind that experience,” said Liu.
Intelligence behind i-Ris
While the avatar provides the human face of AI Living, the intelligence behind it is intended to bring together different technology ecosystems through a unified digital environment.
These include domestic robotics from AgiBot, wellness and wearable technologies from Garmin, lifestyle products and building systems, and trusted knowledge services.
Nvidia GPU computing technology is envisaged as part of the infrastructure supporting the AI processing required to interpret residents' requests and coordinate authorised actions across these platforms.
TwinMatrix's spatial AI and digital twin capabilities will play a central role in connecting these different systems, enabling i-Ris to understand not only individual commands but also the physical environment in which residents live.
Instead of operating multiple applications, residents would interact with a single AI companion that understands their requests and coordinates the appropriate services.
The vision is to evolve the residential experience from individually connected devices into an intelligent ecosystem where technology operates seamlessly in the background, supporting residents through a single, intuitive interface.
Building for the AI era
According to i-City director Datuk Eu Hong Chew, i-Ris represents a fundamental distinction between AI Living and conventional developments.
“A conventional development allows residents to control connected devices. AI Living goes further by bringing together robotics, wellness, smart-home systems and other services through i-Ris that understands and responds to residents’ needs,” he said.
“The avatar is the face residents communicate with. Behind it is the intelligence that brings the different technologies together. Our vision is a home that understands you, rather than one where you have to learn how to operate the technology.”
Targeted for completion in 2030, the approximately 500-unit AI Living development is being designed from the outset to accommodate AI, domestic robotics and connected services.
i-Ris will be developed progressively, beginning with conversational interaction and resident services before expanding into deeper integration with robotics, wellness and smart-home platforms.
AI Living also forms part of i-City's longer-term ambition to evolve from Malaysia's established digital city into an AI- and robotics-enabled township.
For more information, visit www.i-bhd.com/ai-living.
