Based on a Sustainable Evaluation Framework to Measure the Influence of Intelligent Living Technology on the Development Potential of Rural Communities in Taiwan

Abstract

The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT) and the Internet have accelerated the transformation of social patterns and lifestyles. Intelligent technology services have become indispensable to peoples daily lives in the twenty-first century. In Taiwan, the 921 earthquake in 1999 and Typhoon Morakot highlighted the significance of safety and disaster prevention in rural communities. Implementing intelligent living technology in rural communities can enhance residents knowledge and concepts of disaster prevention, relief, and evacuation, and prevent losses from disasters. Considering the rapid development of global ICT and the threat and pressure of natural disasters and deteriorating living environments, we used the evaluation framework for low-carbon rural communities developed in a preliminary study as a foundation and introduced intelligent living applied services and technology. Through this study, we hoped to enhance the competitiveness of rural communities by adjusting industrial policies and the living standards in rural communities according to the lowest costs and the highest efficiency. The results showed that the sustainable evaluation indicators do have positive benefits for rural communities, consistent with our review of literature. Intelligent living technology exhibits a positive significant impact on development potential evaluation of rural communities, a result consistent with the results of related domestic and foreign studies. Therefore, governments can strengthen the quality of life benefits brought by intelligent living technology, such as effective microclimate environment adjustments, creation of good leisure spaces and scenery, and improvements to the basic production conditions, preservation of the rural ecology and culture.