Smart homes and their users:a systematic analysis and key challenges

Published research on smart homes and their users is growing exponentially, yet a clear understanding of who these users are and how they might use smart home technologies is missing from a field being overwhelmingly pushed by technology developers. Through a systematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature on smart homes and their users, this paper takes stock of the dominant research themes and the linkages and disconnects between them. Key findings within each of nine themes are analysed, grouped into three: (1) views of the smart home-functional, instrumental, socio-technical; (2) users and the use of the smart home-prospective users, interactions and decisions, using technologies in the home; and (3) challenges for realising the smart home-hardware and software, design, domestication. These themes are integrated into an organising framework for future research that identifies the presence or absence of cross-cutting relationships between different understandings of smart homes and their users. The usefulness of the organising framework is illustrated in relation to two major concerns-privacy and control-that have been narrowly interpreted to date, precluding deeper insights and potential solutions. Future research on smart homes and their users can benefit by exploring and developing cross-cutting relationships between the research themes identified

Securing Our Future Homes: Smart Home Security Issues and Solutions

The Internet of Things, commonly known as IoT, is a new technology transforming businesses, individuals’ daily lives and the operation of entire countries. With more and more devices becoming equipped with IoT technology, smart homes are becoming increasingly popular. The components that make up a smart home are at risk for different types of attacks; therefore, security engineers are developing solutions to current problems and are predicting future types of attacks. This paper will analyze IoT smart home components, explain current security risks, and suggest possible solutions. According to “What is a Smart Home” (n.d.), a smart home is a home that always operates in consideration of security, energy, efficiency and convenience, whether anyone is home or not

Introducing Wireless Grids Technology to the Field of Telemedicine

While telemedicine and technology-enabled education are not new concepts and have significant bodies of research, in depth application to management and treatment of veteran Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is relatively new. The conflicts in the Southwest Asia over the last two decades have significantly increased the need for healthcare and support services for these returning warriors. Creative thinking and innovative technologies are needed to meet the growing and changing demand of these patients in the face of many competing demands within the U.S. healthcare sector. This doctoral research study investigated the potential for a platform-agnostic (ad hoc) networking technology to serve as a trusted social networking and training platform for healthcare providers who are striving to provide quality healthcare that meets the needs of veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI. This research study analyzed the effectiveness of a digitally networked environment to deliver desired training and certification outcomes in a military healthcare environment. The level of acceptance of an ad hoc network technology (GridstreamRx) by healthcare professionals using it as an enabler of collaboration during the training process was evaluated. The results also assessed the readiness of healthcare professionals to use this Information Communications Technology (ICT), or analogous new applications and services, to help them perform their healthcare responsibilities. This thesis study, accomplished with the support of the U.S. Army and National Science Foundation, took place at two large military medical centers over a twelve-month period of time. Data was gathered from 568 healthcare professionals using quantitative survey instruments. Ninety-six respondents provided additional quantitative and qualitative inputs at various times during a proscribed training regimen. DeLone and McLean\u27s 2003 Information System Success Model, modified by findings of more recent research, provided the theoretical lens for analyzing the data from 32 of the training participants in determining the perceived net benefit of the GridstreamRx technology. The data gathered for the study showed, at the 95% level of confidence, that a majority of the professionals of these two medical centers would perceive a positive net benefit from using GridstreamRx in a healthcare training environment. The conclusion from this analysis was that not only are the healthcare providers in this study ready to use ICT and social networking in this professional setting, but also that GridstreamRx is an acceptable platform for performing these functions. The study participants provided input with respect to their priorities regarding information sharing techniques, functionality, and suggestions for improving the platform. The outcomes confirmed that GridstreamRx can be a successful introduction of ad hoc networking to telemedicine. This thesis concluded with recommendations for scholars and practitioners to pursue in the future; and should be followed up with further research and actions in order to build toward a Fully Integrated Virtual Healthcare Environment (FivHe)

Key Management Systems for Smart Grid Advanced Metering Infrastructure: A Survey

Smart Grids are evolving as the next generation power systems that involve changes in the traditional ways of generation, transmission and distribution of power. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is one of the key components in smart grids. An AMI comprises of systems and networks, that collects and analyzes data received from smart meters. In addition, AMI also provides intelligent management of various power-related applications and services based on the data collected from smart meters. Thus, AMI plays a significant role in the smooth functioning of smart grids. AMI is a privileged target for security attacks as it is made up of systems that are highly vulnerable to such attacks. Providing security to AMI is necessary as adversaries can cause potential damage against infrastructures and privacy in smart grid. One of the most effective and challenging topic's identified, is the Key Management System (KMS), for sustaining the security concerns in AMI. Therefore, KMS seeks to be a promising research area for future development of AMI. This survey work highlights the key security issues of advanced metering infrastructures and focuses on how key management techniques can be utilized for safeguarding AMI. First of all, we explore the main features of advanced metering infrastructures and identify the relationship between smart grid and AMI. Then, we introduce the security issues and challenges of AMI. We also provide a classification of the existing works in literature that deal with secure key management system in AMI. Finally, we identify possible future research directions of KMS in AMI

Internet Predictions

More than a dozen leading experts give their opinions on where the Internet is headed and where it will be in the next decade in terms of technology, policy, and applications. They cover topics ranging from the Internet of Things to climate change to the digital storage of the future. A summary of the articles is available in the Web extras section