Using gestures to interact with home automation systems

Abstract

Homes and working spaces are considered significant contributors to the top percentage of energy consumption and carbon emissions worldwide (GeSI Report, 2017). Previous studies in the field of home- and building automation have demonstrated the sustainability gain brought by smart home solutions, in terms of energy efficiency, economic savings, and enhanced living and working conditions. A major barrier, however, to the adoption of these solutions is the complexity and limited usability of user interfaces. In addition, various modes of interactions for the control and automation of residential environments are an emerging area of study within Human-Computer Interaction. As a response to these challenges, this study investigates the use of gestures as a natural way of controlling and interacting with home automation systems. Using the available motion capture technology, a gesture dictionary will be defined as a set of meaning actions in free-form and in-air movements. A usability test will be conducted to measure the resulting socio-technical aspects. Lastly, the study will present the analysis and effects of gesture control for a higher uptake of smart home solutions towards designing and maintaining buildings of the future that are both user-centric and resource-efficient to reduce our overall carbon footprint.