Advantech, Dingtai Construction, and EZCON Collaborate to Create Smarter, Safer Residential Communities

As populations age and lifestyles change, more seniors are living alone whether by choice or circumstance. In Taiwan, according government statistics, the number of seniors living alone exceeded 700,000 in 2022, with similar trends emerging in countries such as the United States and Japan.

While many social and demographic factors are driving this shift, an important question is how the residential environment can better support independent living while helping people remain safe, comfortable, and connected.

Dingtai Construction, a Taiwan-based residential developer, has been exploring how smart technologies can enhance residential living experiences and support evolving lifestyle needs.

Rather than viewing smart home technology solely as a means of automating household devices, Dingtai approaches residential development from a broader perspective—integrating home automation, community services, wellness-oriented amenities, and resident safety into a connected living environment.

To bring this vision to life, Dingtai partnered with system integrator EZCON, leveraging Advantech’s edge computing platforms to develop integrated smart residential solutions. In previous projects, panel PCs were deployed as interactive terminals in lobbies and shared areas, allowing residents to access and reserve community services. In one residential community developed by Dingtai, for example, a health check station was installed to allow residents to monitor basic health indicators. An Advantech UTC-115 touch computer serves as the user interface, enabling residents to view and record their measurement data results.

Building on this experience, Dingtai and EZCON extended their collaboration to develop a smart, wellness-oriented residential environment designed to support safer, more convenient everyday living.

Each residence is equipped with an Advantech UTC-115 touch computer installed near the entrance, providing a central interface for smart home and community services.

Beyond controlling connected devices such as lighting and curtains, residents can use the UTC-115 to receive community announcements and reserve shared facilities such as gyms and meeting rooms. More importantly, the system provides an emergency call function, giving seniors and residents who live alone a direct way to request assistance when needed.

Connected through the community’s centralized management system, the platform brings together home controls, community services, and daily activity records in a single interface. For residents, it provides a simple way to manage everyday needs while staying connected to the wider community.

The UTC-115 was selected for this project for its computing performance, compact design, and long-term availability.

Traditional smart home control systems often relied on a separate box PC and display. However, as residential applications expand to include device control, community information, facility reservations, emergency services, and other digital functions, higher computing performance and greater system integration are becoming increasingly essential.

With its integrated all-in-one architecture, the UTC-115 provides the computing performance needed to support these evolving applications while simplifying installation. Its slim and modern design also allows it to fit seamlessly into residential interiors.  

A Collaborative Approach to Smart Residential Development

The project brings together the complementary expertise of three partners, each playing a key role in bringing the smart residential concept to life.

• Dingtai Construction leads residential planning, identifying residents' needs and defining the desired living experience and community services.
• EZCON translates these requirements into an integrated smart home and community management system, connecting residential functions with centralized community services.
  
• Advantech provides reliable industrial computing hardware, ensuring the performance and long-term availability needed to support evolving residential applications.
  

Together, the three companies demonstrate how collaboration between property developers, system integrators, and technology providers can transform traditional residential spaces into smarter, safer living environments.

While the solution offers particular benefits for seniors and individuals living alone, Dingtai, EZCON, and Advantech’s vision extends beyond age-specific housing. By integrating smart technologies into everyday residential environments, the companies aim to create adaptable living spaces that support residents across different life stages—enabling a more independent, convenient, and connected way of living.