Table 5 The main features of smart home technologies [36]
From: The social issues of smart home: a review of four European cities’ experiences
The main purposes | - Managing energy use |
- Controlling appliances | |
- Controlling heating systems | |
- Making life at home more convenient | |
- Improving security and safety | |
- Enhancing entertainment and communication | |
- Supporting assisted living or health | |
- Detecting faulty appliances | |
The potential benefits | - Save energy |
- Make things less effort | |
- Save time | |
- Save money | |
- Improve security | |
- Provide comfort | |
- Provide peace and mind | |
- Improve the quality of life | |
- Enhance leisure | |
- Provide care | |
- Increase property value | |
The Potential Risks | - Increase dependence on technology |
- Increase dependence on electricity networks | |
- Non-essential luxuries | |
- Increase dependence on outside experts | |
- Make household members lazy | |
- Monitor private activities | |
- Invasion of privacy | |
- Intrusive | |
- Result in a loss of control | |
- Make households worry more | |
- Disrupt daily routines |