Abstract
This thesis presents a model-based approach to developing easily configurable, customizable and safe to use UCADS. The acronym UCADS stands for user-centric automation devices and systems/services, which include automation tools used by individuals and care-providing institutions for purposes of improving their quality of life and quality of care. The two most important features in this model-based approach are UCADS model and UCADS simulation environment (USE). The UCADS model enables the device behavior, user actions and user-device interactions to be specified in terms of a model for requirement capture and design assessment purposes early in the development process. UCADS simulation environment (USE) is designed for helping developers of UCADS to discover and fix design and implementation flaws that allow incorrect user-device interactions, in addition to assessing the performance of devices. USE as a development environment provides reusable models, resource components, tools and runtime environment needed to support this model-based development process.