Ongoing research focuses on the relationships between people and the smart spaces made possible by the Internet of Things (IoT). While existing deployments of the IoT are often controlled by enterprises (e.g., building owners, municipalities, etc.), the increasing pervasiveness of user-facing smart devices opens the possibility of a more personalizable world. These devices range from lights, locks, thermostats, and smoke detectors to window shades, refrigerators, printers, stop lights, and cameras. We start with the assumption that such devices are embedded in everyday environments. They can be fixed (e.g., installed on the walls of a room), moveable (e.g., attached to furniture), or mobile (e.g., carried by a person or vehicle). We ask a simple yet fundamental question: what does an individual expect from such an environment? In the most basic terms, the answer is itself simple: one expects natural, responsive interactions with the available functionality. Since the system is assumed to be "smart," one might also expect the quality of the experience to improve over time.
This reserch is in collaboration with Christine Julien at UT Austin and involves students at both institutions.