This document provides an outline of the research performed on the Impacts to the society by the Smart Home Technology. Methods of analysis are based on the concepts of Kant's theories, Consequentialism, Laws/Policies & data protection acts: focusing on the social, ethical, legal & professional issues aroused. Results of the information analyzed show the negative and positive aspects of the smart home technology in the modern world.
Introduction
The rapid increase in human population and the usage of technology over the course of the 20th century has raised concerns about over-population in the world and the management technologies that allows individuals to easily manage their daily lives by providing for a convinient lifestyle that brings together security, energy management, entertainment, communications and other programmed features necessary for an enhanced life style.
The concept 'Smart Home Technology' is defined as an attempt to provide a self-governing life for people in their own homes and work places by offering various automated technical maintenances.
The research in this area has been focusing on the ethical, economical, security, health, legal aspects and the concurrent impacts to the society with the automated technology when approaching the smart home.
Smart Home Technology in further detail is a combined term for information and communication-technology in homes, where the components are communicating through a local network. The technology may be used for observing, alarming and executing actions, according to the programmed criteria.
The local network communicates with the external world by telephone or through the Internet, sending messages or alarms to one or more recipients. These may be the resident of the house, his family, a private security-company or the community-team. This communication makes it possible to program the smart home from inside or outside the house.
The influences to the society regarding the ethical, economical, privacy/security, health and legal concerns on the subject of the smart home technology vary depending on the backgrounds and societies all over the world.
A smart home may integrate impacts regarding the below mentioned facts in both affirmative and undesirable manner.
Safety (for example alarms)
Environmental control systems (for example remote control or programmed control of doors, windows and lights)
Communication (linked to the telephone or the Internet)
Energy-control-systems (for example adjusting the heating at all hours)
Entertainment (for example television, film and music)
Literature Review.
The research has been concentrated on five diverse areas in the field of smart home technology. During the study of the literature the widely held articles were concerning these themes and most of the papers could be separated into one of them. That was the motive to choose the subsequent five areas to focus on: ethical, economical, privacy/security concerns, health and the legal factors concerning smart homes. Finally, the last segment presents recommended design features identified in the related research.
Methods
Participants
The population of interest for this study is mainly both adults and children residing in different parts of the world. The population that is accessible to this study consists mostly of persons who live in Sri Lanka. The sampling frame for the indirect participants was obtained from records over the internet and other trusted resources.
On average, study participants were 30 years old and working persons. The majority of participants (70%) were married; few (16%) were adults and patients currently in technology aided nursing homes, and the remainder of teens and children (13%). Just over half (51%) are Asian, with the remainder Caucasian & African American (43%) or other minority groups (6%).
Materials
The materials used in aid of the research were mainly the internet resources, books and publications related to the Kant's Theories & Consequentialism and Smart Home Technologies. Questionairres and interviews were used in collection of data for the analysis.
Procedures
The participants from Sri Lanka were given questionairres and also were interviewed as the procedure of gaining information regarding the individual aspects of smart home technology and its impacts. The international perspective was gained by reference of the internet resources.
Results
There were 80 participants in the final sample for this study in Sri Lanka & around 100 international participants' ideas collected via the internet. The analyses according to the answers of the questionairres provided are graphically represented below.
Discussion
Smart Home Challenges & Benefits
Difference in the lifestyle of an individual
One of the challenges of mounting a smart home system is corresponding to the complexity of the system against the usability of the system. The below mentioned factors should be taken to consideration in prior to the installation of the smart home technology.
The complexity of the components and size of the system.
Intuitiviness of the system be to a non-user.
Number of people required to use the system.
The depth of operate ability and user friendliness of the implemented technology. (Who will know how to operate the system? Who will know how to maintain the system and address failures? How often will people who can only operate the system be left alone in the home?)
The cost of the system.
For these reasons, it may be easier to start with a very basic home network and expand as enhancements are needed or desired. However, there's some concern that with the market so new, technologies are developing all the time, sometimes leaving old versions of products useless. Like many new technologies, smart homes require a significant investment to keep up.
Ethical controversies
Some smart home devices also raise ethical questions about privacy and regarding different cultural/social and religious aspects around people with various backgrounds. For instance, the information that a smart home collects by monitoring might start to feel like a weapon to a child who is going through his puberty. When setting up a smart home, it's recommended that it is discussed with the whole family first.
For some members of the Jewish faith, installation of a smart home doesn't just make life simpler, it can aid religious practice. Some Orthodox Jews are prohibited to turn lights on or off, or operate any sort of electricity, on the Sabbath. A programmed light system can maintain a home at an adequate state of lighting without requiring any human interaction [source: Forbes].
Impact on Economy
Privacy and Security Concerns
Smart homes also come with some security concerns. Hackers who access the network will have the ability to turn off alarm systems and lights, leaving the home vulnerable to a break-in, or the theft could be more electronic. It should be assured that sensitive information, such as passwords or identifying numbers are well secured.
There are advantages and disadvantages of home automation security systems. These should be taken into consideration before forming an opinion on the matter of home automation security systems and products. The most obvious and important advantage is that a home automation security system will help to prevent break-ins at your home, and in fact are considered as being essential for any home or business. The detectors are capable of discerning movement of any type, and can sense changes in pressure, sound frequency or even in temperature.
Hardwired systems are beneficial because they tend to cost less and they are more reliable as they do not need any batteries, whereas the wireless systems do. However the wireless systems are obviously easier to relocate as they do not require you to remove wiring. You are normally expected to do that and only then reinstall., you can place wireless systems wherever you want whereas with the hardwired systems you need to be sure that wiring can go into the particular wall where you are planning to install.
Security cameras are one of the most popular security devices as the installation of surveillance cameras in your home or business will dramatically help to upgrade existing standard of protection and security. The sight of any cameras in clear view will help to deter possible thieves and can also help to catch the attempting burglar or thief, as they might have got caught on camera and you can report this and show the tape to the police who may be able to identify the criminal. The security cameras that you purchase can be activated at any moment and they will set some alarm to alert the occupants of the house that there is an unauthorized presence. There is an option to view the activity on the camera on your home television so that you can keep an eye on what is going on in and around your home or business.
Health Issues
4.2.1 Concerns
The concerns that the interviewees bring forward regarding their health are very varying. They mention that they are afraid to get hurt and not get help fast enough. "I am afraid of technical solutions, I do not think I can manage them by myself" - was a statement by an interviewee. All of the interviewees mention that the most dangerous room in their house is the bathroom and kitchen.
4.2.2 Potentials
They liked that there could be a video camera surveillance system that monitors them at all time if anything happens to them. During an interview, it was stated that the user would love to have video surveillance in her home since she had a stroke before and nobody helped her since she could not inform someone about it. However she added that she would like the video surveillance system to be mute, meaning that an observer would not be able hear what's going on in the home, but has visibility. They also liked the fact that they could be safe in their house without having to think about who will help them if they fall down or something sudden occurs to them. The elderly that we interviewed liked the idea of blood and pulse pressure sensors and mentioned that they primarily would want the healthcare to be contacted first in case of emergency, since they have the needed equipment to treat patients. However not all wanted the health care to be contacted, some wanted their children to be the first ones to get informed if something occurred to them. Furthermore they added that verbal assistance is something that will simplify their stay in the bathroom since they tend to forget to turn off the running water or turn the lights off. A quote from one of the interviews regarding the health is "I would use all kinds of technological solutions to monitor my health".
Legal constraints
Legislation is based on the principle that the individual decide whether or not assistive technology is what he or she wants, that is, consent is required. For health services this follows the Patients' rights legislation in. Other types of assistance follow non-legislative regulations.
Some persons can for various reasons not be able to give their consent. This includes persons with senile dementia, learning disabilities, brain injuries and some times persons with mental diseases. Other residents, in particular elderly, can have difficulties in understanding and give an informed consent to the use of advanced technology.
Informed consent implies that the person receives sufficient information on the assistive technology concerned and that he understands enough to make his own decision. An informed consent implies not only information on the technology itself, but also of the implications of the use of the technology.
It should be considered whether the person is able to give an informed consent, and viewed in relation to how the technical solutions are to be used. A trustee or supporting guardian may in certain cases give consent on behalf of the person.
If not possible to get an informed consent, a statutory basis is required for the use of radical technical solutions.
In many situations it will be unclear if authorisation is given to implement a radical measure. In these cases it is important to clarify the legality of the measure before it is eventually implemented.
Conclusion
Smart Homes are amongst the greatest advances in the history of technology. Properly used, this can be immensely useful in taking care of elderly/patients, maintaining security, saving of time & energy with easy to control remote automated systems. Yet, there are many disadvantages regarding the implementation of this technology when social, ethical, legal and security concerns are taken in to consideration. There's also the question of whether an individual needs all this technology. Interesting arguments such as "Is our society really so lazy that we can't turn flip a light switch?" arouse conflicts regarding various perspectives. The good news is that with all the time saved from home automation, many will have time to work on other pursuits.
Recommendations
References
Appendix
