This is basically what emerges from a recent European research, involving five countries (France, Germany, Italy, England and Holland) and conducted by Booz-Allen & Hamilton. The survey had as its aim to verify the degree of interest of the interviewed sample concerning seven possible domotics applications, from sanitary assistance to on-demand images.

Some of the figures are not surprising: it is confirmed, for example, that the interest towards domestic automation is pretty low for the over 50's. More surprising, on the other hand, the fact that women are tendentially very interested to services domotics could offer, particularly if integrated in mobile telecommunications.

A more in-depth analysis is deserved by the analysis of the details concerning Italy, available in Power Point format on the website of Sole 24 ore . The sample, it must be said, was selected among those who know Internet and have a medium-high family income, (1,550 to 3,100 euro a month), and it presents a fairly homogenous composition between men and women (52% men, 48% women).

The interest of males is generally higher, exception mad for the distance control of household appliances. The level of interest is, nevertheless, fairly high, in line with European figures. The most popular sector is, as in the rest of Europe, sanitary assistance.

As far as age groups are concerned, it emerges that the range that is better disposed towards these technologies is between 31 and 50 years of age. Over 50's have a low interest, with the exception of sanitary tele-assistance.

January.2002