Neuroscience applied to Smart Home System: new applications

Recent technology led to redefine persons’ home-life experience. Indeed, Smart Home Systems (SHS) help users to accomplish their needs by implementing automated processes, responding to their commands. This work aims to deepen the User experience (UX) of subjects (n=19) engaged in tech-interactions with SHS by a neuroscientific perspective. After a 120 seconds baseline, participants were asked to activate 6 interaction points, situated in the following areas of the house: hall, kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom. During these interactions, electroencephalographic (EEG frequency bands power: delta, theta, alpha, beta) and autonomic (Heart Rate, HR; Skin Conductance Response, SCR) measures, able to furnish data on cognitive and emotional processes, were considered. The employed neuroscientific tools featured wireless technology, thus avoiding physique constraints. Results highlighted lower level of alpha power during exploration of interaction points compared to baseline condition. Concerning delta band, the interaction effect ROI x AREA was found significant, with a higher activity in Temporo-Central brain area in bedroom condition than baseline. Finally, lower level of HR was found for the baseline condition compared to the bedroom area. EEG alpha band data highlighted a general activation while users were interacting with the SHS. The temporo-central delta band and HR result may imply higher emotional engagement level when interacting with the bedroom condition, caused by its inherent emotive properties. These findings can highlight of how much human-machine interaction can be both attentionally and emotionally meaningful.