Connecting Home: Human-Centric Setup Automation in the Augmented Smart Home

Controlling smart homes via vendor-specific apps on smartphones is cumbersome. Augmented Reality (AR) offers a promising alternative by enabling direct interactions with Internet of Things (IoT) devices. However, using AR for smart home control requires knowledge of each device’s 3D position. In this paper, we introduce and evaluate three concepts for identifying IoT device positions with varying degrees of automation. Our mixed-methods laboratory study with 28 participants revealed that, despite being recognized as the most efficient option, the majority of participants opted against a fast, fully automated detection, favoring a balance between efficiency and perceived autonomy and control. We link this decision to psychological needs grounded in self-determination theory and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each alternative, motivating a user-adaptive solution. Additionally, we observed a “wow-effect” in response to AR interaction for smart homes, suggesting potential benefits of a human-centric approach to the smart home of the future.