From research to living rooms: evaluating smart home technologies through systematic reviews, user studies, and practical implementations

Abstract

Smart home technologies have changed the way people live, making homes more convenient, energy-efficient, and secure. Despite these benefits, many people are still hesitant to adopt them because of concerns about complexity, compatibility, and usability. This dissertation focuses on closing the gap between what these technologies can do and what users actually need, by designing smart home solutions that are practical and userfriendly.

To achieve this, the research employs a multiphase methodology including a systematic literature review, an international user survey, and the design and implementation of a Raspberry Pi–based smart home platform as a research artifact. The literature review identifies key trends and recurring barriers, emphasizing the need for a user-centric design. The survey captures different user opinions and concerns, revealing a strong demand for customizable, secure, and accessible systems designed for various levels of technical ability.

Based on these insights, a modular and affordable smart home system was created using open-source platforms. The prototype was evaluated using the technology acceptance model (TAM), showing that perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use are critical drivers of adoption, while trust and privacy concerns continue to play a major role.

This dissertation introduces the user-aligned smart home development framework (UASH-DF), which provides actionable guidance for designing smart home technologies that are context-aware, secure, compatible with other systems, and inclusive. The framework and findings contribute to both academic discourse and practical innovation, supporting the creation of smart home environments that are not only technically robust but also responsive to the day-to-day life of modern households.