Radio, TV, internet, telephone, fire detector, heating, kitchen hearth and refrigerator: so far these technical devices work separately. How can they be networked in a personalized home-environment? Intelligent home systems regulate the heating and move windows blinds according to the position of the sun, they forward the actual refrigerator contents on to the mobile phone, deliver the newest film on to the favoured player together with the "Making of" from the internet.

The next generation media programme provides support in this area and promotes comprehensive concepts which will allow uniform operation and control independent of the manufacturer or the technology used. The very promising approaches take established standards and further develop current networking solutions, such as wireless communication. In this way a new form of user orientation is created, in which the users are placed in the foreground.