PLOS ONE

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Smart home adoption factors: A systematic

literature review and research agenda
Alejandro Valencia-Arias ID1*, Sebastian Cardona-Acevedo2, Sergio Gómez-Molina3, Juan
David Gonzalez-Ruiz4, Jackeline Valencia5
1 School of Industrial Engineering, Universidad Señor de Sipán, Chiclayo, Perú, 2 Institución Universitaria
Escolme, Centro de investigaciones, Medellı́n, Colombia, 3 Coordinación de Investigaciones e Innovación,
Fundación Universitaria Católica del Norte, Medellin, Colombia, 4 Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y
Economicas, Departamento de Economı́a, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Medellı́n, Medellı́n,
Colombia, 5 Instituto de Investigación y Estudios de la Mujer, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Peru
a1111111111
a1111111111 * [email protected]
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a1111111111 Abstract
Smart homes represent the complement of various automation technologies that together
make up a network of devices facilitating the daily tasks of residents. These technologies
OPEN ACCESS are being studied for their application from different sectors, including the projection of their
use to improve energy consumption planning and health care management. However, tech-
Citation: Valencia-Arias A, Cardona-Acevedo S,
Gómez-Molina S, Gonzalez-Ruiz JD, Valencia J nology adoption depends on social awareness within the scope of cognitive advantages and
(2023) Smart home adoption factors: A systematic innovations compared to perceived risk because although there are multiple benefits, poten-
literature review and research agenda. PLoS ONE tial users express fears related to the loss of autonomy and security. This study carries out a
18(10): e0292558. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.
pone.0292558
systematic literature review based on PRISMA in order to analyze research trends and liter-
ary evolution in the technological adoption of smart homes, considering the main theories
Editor: Mohammed A. Al-Sharafi, Universiti Tenaga
Nasional, MALAYSIA
and variables applied by the community. In proposing a research agenda in accordance
with the identified gaps and the growing and emerging themes of the object of study, it is
Received: May 25, 2023
worth highlighting the growing interest in the subject, both for the present and its develop-
Accepted: September 23, 2023 ment in the future. Until now, adoption factors have been attributed more to the technologi-
Published: October 20, 2023 cal acceptance model and the diffusion of innovation theory, adopting components of the
Peer Review History: PLOS recognizes the Theory of Planned Behavior; therefore, in several cases, the attributes of different theories
benefits of transparency in the peer review are merged to adapt to the needs of each researcher, promoting the creation of empirical
process; therefore, we enable the publication of and extended models.
all of the content of peer review and author
responses alongside final, published articles. The
editorial history of this article is available here:
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292558

Copyright: © 2023 Valencia-Arias et al. This is an Introduction

open access article distributed under the terms of Due to the rapid development of technologies in the fourth industrial revolution, characterized
the Creative Commons Attribution License, which
by the convergence of digital, physical and biological technologies that are transforming the
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original
way we live and work, and their application in different sectors of the economy, the Internet of
author and source are credited. Things (IoT) has become an ally for the development of infrastructures worldwide. In this
way, the construction sector has benefited, through the use of the IoT, from the creation of
Data Availability Statement: The data availability
statement for this study has been duly recorded
smart home environments [1].
and archived in the Zenodo open data repository, a From the offer of houses equipped with technologies designed to provide adequate services,
repository recognized for its commitment to the smart homes seek to meet the needs of each inhabitant to improve their quality of life [2]. By

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

accessibility and preservation of scientific data. The making use of artificial intelligence, behavioral data can be used, and information on user pref-
data and materials supported by this study are erences can be generated [3], enabling inhabitants to monitor and control a wide range of
publicly available and can be accessed at the
household appliances remotely and intelligently [4]. That is, smart homes represent a set of
following DOI link: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.
8381268. This repository ensures the availability of technologies that provide a human-centered network environment to connect hardware and
and access to the underlying data used in research, applications in the home [5] that facilitate communication and collaboration between different
promoting transparency and reproducibility of devices by offering five main types of services: support, monitoring, provision of therapy, pro-
results, thereby enhancing the reliability and utility vision of comfort and counseling [3].
of scientific research.
However, although the concept has gained popularity recently, it is not a new term because
Funding: The authors received no specific funding it has been discussed since the 1980s, evolving from traditional home automation to the pres-
for this work. ent, where large global companies such as Google, Amazon, and Samsung Electronics are
Competing interests: The authors have declared offering innovative products and services to take advantage of market growth [6]. In addition,
that no competing interests exist. it is estimated that cities will face an urban transformation in the coming years to manage their
resources; therefore, the concept of smart cities involves various challenges related to sustain-
ability, transport, the economy, governments, and lifestyles [7].
This industry is considered one of the most promising thanks to the rapid development of
mobile network infrastructure [5]. In addition, smart homes are conceived as an option for
energy management planning and health care management, and their technological adoption
depends on the public’s perception of the benefits and perceived innovation [8]. This should
be considered in conjunction with perceived risks because although there is a positive percep-
tion of smart home implementation, there is also a certain fear linked to the loss of autonomy
and privacy at home [9,10], which limits perceived value and requires companies to work on
the development of proposals related to safety [11].
According to the above, despite the potential of these systems to improve quality of life and
experience, users’ acceptance of smart homes still does not meet expectations [4]. In the case
of health care management, although its application reduces the cost of healthcare, smart tech-
nology has not spread because adoption is very low. In part, due to an inadequate understand-
ing of the expectations, needs, and preferences of the users, and taking into account that the
main audience is elderly individuals; this represents a significant challenge for successful
implementation due to the conservative vision and technological concerns of this type of user
[12,13]. Likewise, the popularity of smart homes is growing slower than expected and must be
studied from the demand perspective [14].
Related studies show that expected performance, social impact, and cost are significant pre-
dictors of smart home adoption [15] and that perceived security risk affects the intent to use
[16]. Therefore, companies dedicated to offering these services have the challenge of generat-
ing mechanisms that allow users to generate trust from controlling their domestic data, not
only to overcome current restrictions but also to help people maintain a commitment to home
life [17]. Considering that decision-making is not linear but unfolds through different stages,
persuasion can begin as soon as consumers become accustomed to the technology, and knowl-
edge can be developed after they have shown interest and decided to use it [18].
In accordance with the above, it is necessary to carry out a systematic review due to the
growing interest in scientific production related to the subject, where various models have
emerged to validate the level of technological adoption of smart technology homes [19]. Fur-
thermore, considering the different perceived uses and the possible target audiences, there are
also studies on programming optimization models to reduce the peak load and the cost of elec-
tricity [20], among other tools that seek to increase the use value of these technologies. How-
ever, to the best of our knowledge, no study in the current literature has provided an in-depth
analysis of smart homes and services. To help bridge the identified knowledge gap, this study
aims to conduct a systematic literature review in order to have a better understanding on this
topic.

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

It allows to consider its relevance at present as well as the level of effect on society and its
behavior [21] and seeking to identify the present context in which they operate, including the
benefits and challenges generated from their technological adoption in the market, the percep-
tion of users and possible future scenarios. This systematic literature review focuses on the fol-
lowing research questions:
PI1: What are the leading research trends that address the adoption of smart homes?
PI2: What is the evolution of the main keywords in the knowledge body on smart home
adoption?
PI3: What are the main theories used by researchers to determine the adoption of smart
homes?
PI4: According to the knowledge body, what are the main variables used to understand the
adoption of smart homes?
PI5: What research gaps are identified, and what further research questions can be formulated
from these?
PI6: What elements should a research agenda have that integrate the identified gaps and the
growing and emerging research themes on the adoption of smart homes?
Based on these research questions, the other sections of this study are composed as follows.
First, the following section explains the materials and methods employed to answer the ques-
tions. Subsequently, using the studies identified to respond to the first four questions, the
results section analyzes trends in bibliometric terms such as keywords, theories, and main vari-
ables in the adoption of smart homes. Then, the results are discussed, in which comparisons
are made with other studies. Next, the main limitations and research gaps identified are
detailed based on the previously described results to formulate a series of questions for further
research as well as a research agenda, thus providing answers to questions five and six. Finally,
after indicating the guidelines for further research, a discussion is presented with the achieve-
ments obtained about the proposed objective and the main conclusions of the systematic liter-
ature review on the adoption of smart homes.

Materials and methods

To meet the objective of this research and answer the questions posed in the introductory sec-
tion, this systematic literature review is conducted using an exploratory and descriptive meth-
odology through which it is possible to understand the state-of-the-art of field of research,
through which it is possible to recognize, on the one hand, limitations in existing studies and,
on the other hand, guidelines for further research [22,23].
For this systematic literature review, items described in the international PRISMA state-
ment (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), 2020 version, as
seen in [24], and the methodological guidelines described in [25] were followed with regard to
reporting the materials and methods, inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, information
sources, search strategies, data management, and flow chart designed by PRISMA to account
for the entire methodological design.

Inclusion criteria
Inclusion or eligibility criteria refer to all the elements to be analyzed in the systematic review
process, it is initially based on the strategic relationship of a series of keywords. Specifically, for
this research on the adoption of smart homes, all the studies that, both in the titles and in the

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

keywords, contain the concepts of Smart home, Smart house, Intelligent home, or Intelligent
house or Home automation, validated by specialized engineering thesauri such as the IEEE,
are included. Likewise, to fully address the object of study, these studies include the concepts
of adoption or acceptance in the same metadata as title and keywords.
The inclusion criteria used in this systematic review are based on previous studies on smart
home adoption, such as [26,27], which conducted systematic literature reviews on smart home
adoption in different dimensions. Both studies used a set of keywords such as "smart home",
"smart house", "smart home", "intelligent house", "home automation", and "adoption" in the
titles and keywords, which were validated by specialized engineering references such as the
IEEE.

Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria refer to the aspects that are considered to exclude studies during the system-
atic review process. According to the PRISMA 2020 statement, the exclusion criteria are
applied in three consecutive exclusion phases. In the first phase, all studies that do not address
the pre-defined research questions according to the title and abstract are excluded. In the sec-
ond phase, all studies that do not provide access to the full text are excluded, making it impos-
sible to analyze the models and drivers of smart home adoption in this case. These first two
phases of exclusion were established from a previous bibliographic review, which found simi-
larity of criteria in research such as that of [26,28].
Finally, once the resulting full texts have been analyzed, all scientific records that do not
identify smart home adoption models, which is a fundamental purpose of the research, are
excluded, leaving only scientific studies that provide answers to the questions raised in this
study, deriving this exclusion criterion from the scientific literature, in articles such as those of
[26,27].

Information sources
According to the PRISMA statement for literature reviews, once the inclusion and exclusion
criteria are defined, it is necessary to specify the sources of information from which the inputs
that will be subjected to detailed analysis will be extracted. In this sense, for this systematic lit-
erature review, Scopus and Web of Science are selected as sources of information because, as
evidenced in [29], they are currently the two most important sources of bibliographic informa-
tion in terms of supplying scientific metadata and carrying out bibliometric indicators that
allow for a consistent evaluation of the scientific activity reflected in the literature.

Search strategy
After defining Scopus and Web of Science as the sources of information, it is essential to
design a consistent search strategy that accounts for the previously detailed eligibility criteria
so that the studies retrieved from both databases are directly related to the purpose of the
research and for the characteristics of the search interface of each database. Therefore, the fol-
lowing specialized search equations were designed:

Scopus: TITLE (“smart house” OR “smart home” OR “intelligent home” OR “intelligent

house” OR “home automation”) AND TITLE (adoption OR acceptance)) OR (KEY (“smart
house” OR “smart home" OR "intelligent home" OR "intelligent house" OR "home automa-
tion") AND KEY (adoption OR acceptance)).

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Web of Science: (TI = (“smart house" OR "smart home" OR "intelligent home" OR "intelli-
gent house" OR "home automation”) AND TI = (adoption OR acceptance)) OR (AK =
(“smart house" OR "smart home" OR "intelligent home" OR "intelligent house" OR "home
automation”) AND AK = (adoption OR acceptance)).

These search equations were designed to identify studies related to the adoption and accep-
tance of technologies related to smart or automated homes. Both equations search for key
terms related to smart homes, such as "smart house", "smart home", "intelligent home" and
"home automation", and combine them with terms related to the adoption and acceptance of
these technologies, such as "adoption" and "acceptance”. The goal is to retrieve research that
examines factors that influence the adoption of smart home technologies, as well as users’ per-
ceptions and attitudes toward these technologies.

Risk of bias assessment

The assessment of risk of bias in the studies included in this review followed a rigorous and
consistent process. To ensure the quality and integrity of the results, all authors participated in
the data collection and risk of bias assessment. An automated tool based on Microsoft Excel1
was used to ensure an objective and standardized assessment. Each study was thoroughly
reviewed by the authors independently, and any discrepancies or concerns were addressed col-
laboratively until consensus was reached. This risk of bias assessment methodology ensures
the reliability of the results by applying consistent and transparent criteria throughout the sci-
entific literature review process.
It is important to recognize that there is a bias in the sources of information used in this
research, as they were limited to Scopus and Web of Science as databases to search for studies.
This choice may have omitted relevant studies that may be available in other information
sources or in more specialized databases related to smart homes. Despite this limitation, steps
were taken to mitigate this bias by using the previously described inclusion and exclusion crite-
ria and by conducting a comprehensive search within the databases selected from the search
equation. However, it is important to note that there may still be relevant studies in other
sources not included in this study, which could affect the breadth of the review and the gener-
alizability of the results.

Data management
The application of the search strategies in each database allowed the initial retrieval of 239 sci-
entific studies related to the adoption of smart homes, of which 189 were obtained from Sco-
pus database and 50 were obtained from Web of Science database. These studies were
exported to and stored in Microsoft Excel1, through which a data homogenization process
was carried out to unify the format because of the typological differences in providing infor-
mation from both databases. The same tool was used to apply the exclusion criteria and to con-
duct the data analysis to answer the posed research questions.

Study selection process

According to the PRISMA 2020 statement [24], it is necessary to define the process of selecting
the studies for a systematic literature review. Each investigation author independently exe-
cuted the search strategy and exclusion processes to reduce informational bias, using Microsoft
Excel1. All the differences found were analyzed in strategic sections justified for each case
until the information converged.

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Effect measures
In the context of a systematic literature review on smart home adoption, emphasis is placed on
specifying the effect measures used in the synthesis or presentation of results. Although these
measures are more common in primary research, this study is based on secondary sources and
focuses on the analysis of relevant geographic contexts, target populations, psychometric theo-
ries, and key explanatory factors or variables in these theories. This analysis is facilitated by the
use of tools such as Microsoft Excel1, ChatGPT1, and Google Bard1, but it is emphasized
that individual verification by the authors is essential to ensure the quality and accuracy of the
data. This approach provides a comprehensive and contextualized view of smart home adop-
tion from a perspective based on systematic literature review, although specific effect measures
such as hazard ratios or mean differences are not used.

Synthesis methods
On the other hand, specific procedures were used to determine the eligibility of the studies
included in the syntheses. For this purpose, three exclusion phases were carried out based on
predefined criteria. Once these phases were completed, all the data collected were tabulated
using the automated tool Microsoft Excel1. The data were obtained from the responses gen-
erated by the artificial intelligence tools ChatGPT1 and Google Bard1 and were subse-
quently subjected to manual validation by the authors to ensure accuracy and consistency in
the preparation of the data for analysis. presentation or synthesis, and to contribute to the
transparency and integrity of the systematic review process.

Certainty assessment
In addition, an individual certainty assessment method similar to that used for primary studies
is applied. This involves a detailed, full-text examination of each article included in the system-
atic literature review. This process allows for the identification of the information under
review. However, biases in the study are reported and limitations are discussed in the discus-
sion section of the article. In this way, a comprehensive assessment of the reliability of the col-
lected evidence is provided, contributing to a sound understanding of the findings and their
implications in the context of smart home adoption.

Methodological design
In Fig 1, the flow chart recommended by the international PRISMA 2020 statement is pre-
sented to account for all the aspects related to the inclusion, exclusion, and definitive selection
of studies to be analyzed in the present systematic literature review.
In the initial search phase, a total of 239 relevant documents were retrieved. However, dur-
ing the selection and review process, 43 duplicate documents were identified and eliminated,
reducing the number to 196. Exclusion criteria were then applied to refine the selection. Of
these, 16 documents were not related to the topic of smart home adoption according to the
established criteria. In addition, 139 of the remaining documents were found to be inaccessible
in full text. This lack of access may be due to several reasons, such as publisher access restric-
tions, institutional subscriptions required to access certain articles, or limited online availabil-
ity of certain documents. Finally, after reviewing the remaining 41 full-text articles, 29 of them
were excluded because they did not present theoretical models of smart home adoption, result-
ing in the final selection of the 12 studies included in the systematic review.
An overview of the 12 articles included in this review is presented in Table 1. This table pro-
vides basic information about each article, such as title, authors, year of publication, target

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Fig 1. Flowchart for PRISMA systematic literature reviews.

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population, country of study, and sample size. In addition, the theoretical model of smart
home adoption used in each study is identified, which provides a useful reference for under-
standing the different perspectives addressed in the scientific literature on this topic.

Results
This results section provides a comprehensive analysis of the findings from the systematic
review of the 12 articles included in this study. Specifically, key aspects will be addressed, such
as the target populations involved in the adoption of smart homes, the underlying theories that
underpin this process, and the primary variables that influence this adoption. In addition, the
research gaps identified in this analysis are identified and discussed in order to provide a com-
prehensive view of the topic and highlight areas of interest for future research.

Populations under study

As shown in Table 1, according to the sample of articles included in this systematic literature
review, smart home adoption has only been validated in three types of populations: older
adults, potential consumers, and general consumers, with the latter being the more common.

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Table 1. Summary of studies included in the review.

N Article Authors Year Target Country Sample Theoretical
˚ population size model
1 Cognitive Dissonance in Technology Adoption: A Study of [3] 2020 General users not specified 387 Own model
Smart Home Users
2 IoT Smart Home Adoption: The Importance of Proper Level [6] 2018 General users South Korea 216 Own model
Automation
3 The influence of acceptance and adoption drivers on smart [30] 2019 General users not specified 409 TAM; DOI
home usage
4 Senior citizens’ acceptance of connected health technologies in [31] 2019 Elderly not specified 200 TAM
their homes
5 A comprehensive acceptance model for smart home services [32] 2021 General users Jordan 750 TAM; DOI;
TPB
6 Analyzing the Elderly Users’ Adoption of Smart-Home Services [33] 2018 Elderly India; Thailand; Indonesia; 239 Extended
Malaysia TAM
7 Factors Influencing Intention of Greek Consumers to Use [34] 2022 General users Greece 108 Extended
Smart Home Technology TAM
8 The Investigation of Adoption of Voice-User Interface (VUI) in [35] 2022 Elderly China 420 Extended
Smart Home Systems among Chinese Older Adults TAM
9 Privacy concerns in the smart home context [36] 2020 General users Germany 187 Extended TPB
10 What influences the perceived trust of a voice-enabled smart [37] 2021 General users China 475 Own model
home system: An empirical study
11 Smart home adoption: The impact of user characteristics and [38] 2021 Potential South Korea 400 Own model
differences in perception of benefits users
12 The heat is off! The role of technology attributes and individual [39] 2021 General users France; Germany; Italy; Poland; 5517 Own model
attitudes in the diffusion of Smart thermostats–findings from a Romania; Spain; Sweden; United
multi-country survey Kingdom
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When it comes to the adoption of smart home technologies among general consumers, sev-
eral studies have shed light on the determinants of their adoption intentions. Studies such as
[34] in the Greek context have identified a number of key influences on this intention. [3] have
explored cognitive dissonance in the adoption of these technologies, highlighting the critical
importance of user perceptions in this process. Furthermore, research by [6] has emphasized
the importance of an appropriate level of automation in smart home adoption, highlighting
the need for the technology to be easily manageable by consumers.
On the other hand, studies such as [30] have made significant contributions to the field by
exploring the acceptance and adoption drivers that influence smart home use. [32] have pre-
sented a comprehensive acceptance model for smart home services, providing a deeper under-
standing of the key determinants of adoption in this context.
Furthermore, [36] have addressed privacy concerns in the context of smart homes, a funda-
mental aspect in the adoption decision, while [37] have explored perceived trust in voice-
enabled smart home systems, highlighting its influence on adoption. Finally, [39] have investi-
gated the diffusion of smart thermostats, highlighting the importance of technological attri-
butes and individual attitudes in adoption. Taken together, these studies have enriched our
understanding of the adoption of smart home technologies among general consumers.
With regard to the older adult population, [31] conducted research on the adoption of con-
nected health technologies in the homes of this demographic, highlighting the importance of
adapting technological solutions to specific needs. [33] analyzed the adoption of smart services
in elderly homes, highlighting the importance of usability and ease of use. In addition, [35]
focused on the adoption of voice interfaces in smart home systems among Chinese elderly,
providing valuable insights into the preferences of this demographic. As potential consumers,

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this demographic group shows noticeable differences from general consumers in terms of
smart home adoption. [38] examined the impact of user characteristics and differences in per-
ceived benefits on smart home adoption. This study highlighted the importance of under-
standing individual differences and benefit perceptions to develop effective marketing and
promotion strategies.

Theory analysis
The selected theories allow understanding of the adoption of smart homes through various
models, as seen in Table 2, where information is provided for publications between 2018 and
2022, in particular, the models used and the main territories where they were developed. The
studies were conducted mainly in European and Asian countries, which, as previously
expressed, are the countries that have generated the most publications on the subject.
Six main theories are presented, for which the first is the technological acceptance model
(TAM), which is addressed in [40], where they explain that the model arises as an adaptation
of the theory of reasoned action (TRA) to predict the interest of users to adopt a new technol-
ogy, explaining that ease of use is reflected in perceived usefulness. In addition, the TAM
allows the study of the impacts of external factors that interfere in the behaviors of users,
adopting the concepts of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and atti-
tudes toward the use of services (ATT), with the latter determined by the first two [31,32].
Additionally, studies were found in which the authors propose integral models of accep-
tance of technology as an extension of the traditional TAM, justifying that it is necessary to
adapt the model based on the various particularities that consumers have for each technology
[34]. A second theory is developed from these constructs, for which exogenous concepts sup-
ported by those already mentioned above are introduced. Variables related to the psychology,
economic and hedonic value, usability, and security of smart homes are addressed, and
hypotheses related to self-capacity, automation, universal connectivity, privacy, affordability,
enjoyment, satisfaction, compatibility, and subjective norms are measured; the latter is related
to the perception acquired by other people’s opinions [33]. Another study incorporates the
trust variable, noting the uncertainty perceived by users in relation to the computing environ-
ment and emphasizing three main dimensions: competence, related to the capabilities of a sys-
tem; benevolence, referring to the belief that power will be abused; and integrity, such as
appropriateness of behavior [35].
However, TAMs analyze elements related to demographic and psychographic factors of
users, while the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory focuses on studying only those factors
related to technology. Although these theories make significant contributions, they have
recently begun to merge into more extensive models that contribute to the general under-
standing of adopting smart home technologies. In this way, DOI incorporates elements that
are not typical of TAMs, such as experimentation with technology and the role of technology

Table 2. Theories of smart home adoption.

Theory Country Frequence Authors
TAM Germany; Jordan 3 [30–32]
Extended TAM India; Thailand; Indonesia; Malaysia; Greece; China 3 [33–35]
DOI Germany, Jordan 2 [30,32]
TPB Jordan 1 [32]
Extended TPB Germany, 1 [36]
Empirical models South Korea; United Kingdom; China; France; Germany; Italy; Poland; Romania; Spain; Sweden 5 [3,6,37–39]
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in users’ lives [30]. Addressing the process of innovation diffusion, from development to use,
user behaviors, and user decisions, five relevant characteristics of potential users are noted: rel-
ative advantage, complexity, compatibility, possibility of proof, and observability of the inno-
vation [32].
The theory of planned behavior (TPB) proposes that behaviors are influenced by three
main beliefs: attitude, subjective norms, and behavioral control. In this sense, it takes into
account scenarios where it is not possible to have general user vigilance. Therefore, the element
of perceived behavioral control (PBC) is incorporated through the perspective of particular
capacities based on previous practices and perceived complexity based on internal and external
limitations; attitudes, on the other hand, reflect whether self-examination is conducive or not
conducive to the effects of behavior; and finally, subjective norms represent the social influ-
ence on an individual [32,36].
Studies were found in which the TPB is applied in extended versions, combining its attri-
butes with those of the TAM to evaluate danger and the intention of using smart home devices.
It is relevant for companies to understand those elements that individuals consider before
using their services; therefore, the TPB is used to obtain a broader representation of technolog-
ical acceptance, considering PBC as the most influential variable in behavior and concluding,
in turn, that behavioral control has a positive impact on intent to use [36].
Finally, there are models proposed empirically by the authors; these models provide a dif-
ferent perspective on adopting smart home technology based on new variables that previous
theories have not addressed. For example, [38] propose within their hypothesis concepts
regarding the preference for energy and health services and their possible impact on intent to
use. Additionally, [6] propose that perceived controllability and interconnection are elements
that should be considered to carry out measurements.

Analysis of the main variables

The most relevant variables were identified and are detailed in Table 3, which includes recent
studies from 2018 to 2022, the included variables, and the authors who have addressed those
variables.
The results yielded 12 key concepts, which, in turn, are fully addressed within the theories
previously analyzed, giving coherence to the present study. These variables are defined below
based on the definitions established by the authors for implementation within each one of the
models.

Table 3. Main variables for the adoption of smart homes.

Variable Authors
Perceived Reliability [6,36–37,39]
Perceived Usefulness [30–36]
Behavioral Intent [30,32–35,38,39]
Perceived Ease of Use [30–35]
Control of Perceived Behavior [6,30,32,36]
Perceived Enjoyment [3,33,34,37]
Perceived Interconnection [6,32,33]
Subjective Norm [33,36,37]
Perceived Cost [32,34,39]
Perceived Automation [6,33]
Attitude Toward Use [32,33]
Perceived Compatibility [32,34]
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For "perceived reliability" [37], state that the good quality of a system conveys a feeling of
trust perceived by users and that the smart home industry is still in the early stages of develop-
ment; therefore, perceived reliability is a key element to reducing uncertainty and includes ele-
ments such as trustworthiness, reliability, controllability, and competence.
Studies that employ TAMs include “perceived usefulness” (PU) as a determining factor for
technological acceptance, i.e., the perceived value that a technology can enhance work perfor-
mance. "Perceived ease of use" (PEOU) is related to the perception of effort associated with the
complexity of learning and usability [30]. Likewise, concepts of the TPB are employed, for
example, “control of perceived behavior”, which is defined by Ajzen [41] and referenced in the
work of [32] as "the perceived ease or difficulty in performing a behavior and its ability to
reflect the experience as well as the expected impediments and obstacles”.
The study “Analyzing the Elderly Users’ Adoption of Smart-Home Services” by [33] is one of
the most theoretically enriched investigations because several key concepts are defined in their
work. For example, "perceived enjoyment" is the satisfaction related to the intention of using
any product or service, and “subjective norm” corresponds to the opinions instilled in an indi-
vidual by the environment due to a lack of knowledge about usability when a product is novel.
Another concept, "automation", is one of the main elements in the technology applied to smart
homes, and its adaptation to the domestic components of homes increases users’ comfort.
Another key component is "perceived interconnection", defined as "the ability to work
together reliably because there is a discrete manufacturer" [6], which, in addition, is related to
"perceived compatibility", which serves as a hypothesis of the work in [34] and includes vari-
ables associated with human psychology, such as confidence and perceived enjoyment.
Finally, [32] reference Tornatzky and Klein [42] and refer to “perceived cost” as “the cost of
a system, whether expensive or not, based on the financial resources of the user”. Moreover,
several studies contain it in the framework of technological adoption as a determinant of
“behavioral intention.” The latter is determined by attitude and perceived usefulness, and
[30,33] reference Venkatesh [43] and define it as ´´´the degree to which a person has formu-
lated conscious plans to carry out or not a certain future behavior".

Research gaps
This study has identified the main research gaps in the available scientific literature (Table 4),
proposing research questions so that future authors can carry out new studies that fill these
identified theoretical and conceptual gaps. Such further studies will contribute to a more
robust understanding of the factors that determine the adoption of smart homes from different
social, cultural, economic, demographic, and geographical contexts.

Discussion
In order to discuss the results obtained in this systematic literature review, the practical impli-
cations of both the bibliometric phase and the identification of research trends are addressed,
as are the implications of the detailed analysis of theories and variables associated with the
adoption of smart homes. Furthermore, the main limitations of the research, a comparison is
made between the results obtained and the results reported by other similar studies, and
finally, a research agenda is proposed that considers the research trends, the main theories and
variables and, the identified gaps in the results section.

Practical implications
The 12 studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were analyzed, allowing the estab-
lishment of a perspective of the current environment in which the issue of the adoption of

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Table 4. Gaps and questions for future research.

Topic Identified gap Questions for further research
Theories of adoption 1. The existing research has focused predominantly on the main models QFR1. What is the role of the main factors of the UTAUT model
and use of technology of adoption, such as the TAM, DOI, and TPB, with limited attention in the adoption of smart homes?
given to one of the leading models of adoption and use of technology, i.e., QFR2. What are the main moderating variables of the UTAUT
the UTAUT. model in the adoption of smart homes?
Smart home adoption 1. Although perceived reliability is currently positioned as the most QFR1. What theories allow a better approach toward
variables addressed important variable of the adoption of smart homes, the main theories that understanding the variables that determine perceived reliability
allow understanding the variables that determine perceived reliability in in adopting smart homes?
the adoption of smart homes are unknown.
2. The most frequent variable in the adoption of smart homes is perceived QFR2. What are the main variables that determine perceived
reliability; however, the main variables that determine perceived reliability in adopting smart homes in contexts of emerging
reliability in the adoption of smart homes in the context of emerging countries?
economies are still developing.
3. Among the variables identified in the scientific literature, attitude QFR3. What is the role of perceived reliability in attitude toward
toward use has received little attention from researchers. use by users for the adoption of smart homes?
Context of smart home 1. Studies on the adoption of smart homes address the context of more QFR1. What is the difference between the main adoption
adoption developed countries, omitting the variables that affect the adoption of this variables between developed and emerging countries?
technology in homes in emerging countries. QFR2. What is the role of variables such as perceived cost and
other economic and fial needs in emerging economies?
Other populations 1. There is a lack of research on the adoption of smart home technologies QFR1. How can smart home technologies be designed and
by people with disabilities, despite the potential impact on their quality of adapted to meet the needs of people with disabilities?
life.
2. Research tends to focus on urban environments, leaving a gap in QFR2. How can smart home technologies address the unique
understanding smart home adoption in rural communities where needs needs of rural communities and overcome infrastructure
and challenges may be different. limitations?
3. Most studies have examined smart home adoption among middle- and QFR3. What are the economic and accessibility barriers to smart
high-income groups, leaving a gap in understanding how low-income home adoption faced by low-income consumers, and how can
people perceive and use these technologies. they be overcome?
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smart home technology is developed, further revealing the main theories and variables related
to the object of study. As a result, it was possible to identify six theories and 12 main variables
covered throughout the studies analyzed.
In relation to the theories analyzed, several studies used models in combination; that is, the
models were applied together to take advantage of the attributes each author considered rele-
vant to their work. For example, although the TAM is the most used, in most cases, the authors
merged the model with elements of other theories, such as the innovation diffusion theory and
the theory of planned behavior. This is reflected in the fact that some studies include extended
models, as mentioned by [34]. Furthermore, each technology has its own characteristics.
Therefore, it is necessary to adapt models based on the needs of each application, taking into
account the implications that may have on the user profile of each industry. In this way, smart
homes to health sector are constructed using smart technology in order to monitor patients,
especially older people, in their homes.This explains the interest in generating empirical mod-
els that fit these requirements and identifying which variables have not been considered within
the traditional models to obtain a general perception of technological acceptance, considering
variables such as health, which is perceived as a benefit.
Regarding variables, the most relevant based on the results obtained is perceived reliability.
There has been a low response to adopting smart home technology compared to what was
expected; although several benefits are attributed to implementing such technology, users per-
ceive insecurity. As explained by [33], individuals do not want to place their trust in companies
and give them access to their personal data. In fact, they explain that perceived security is even
lower in older people who fear the adoption of new technologies, a population of potential
users due to their health monitoring needs.

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Therefore, the present research can help companies in this sector adopt measures based on
the risks observed by individuals, aiming to improve the perception of potential users and
their opinions about privacy and security factors surrounding applying this type of technology
in homes.
On the other hand, the systematic review conducted provides valuable lessons for those
responsible for creating policies and regulations in the area of smart home adoption. First, it
highlights the need for updated regulation that addresses user privacy and security concerns.
Consumer trust is fundamental to the success of this technology, so policies must ensure the
protection of personal data and promote safety in the use of smart devices in the home. Policy-
makers should be aware of the perceived uncertainty surrounding the adoption of this technol-
ogy and work on policies that address these concerns.
Professionals involved in the implementation of smart home technology must recognize
the importance of tailoring models and approaches to the specific needs of each application.
This review highlights that a combination of theories and models can be effective in under-
standing technology acceptance in this diverse context. It also highlights the importance of the
variable "perception of trustworthiness". Professionals need to actively address this user con-
cern and design solutions that build trust and minimize perceived risk, especially in the older
adult population, which is an important user group in the health care field.
Education professionals have a critical role to play in the effective implementation of smart
home technology in distance and home-based learning. This report highlights the importance
of addressing the privacy and security concerns of students and their families when using
smart devices and systems in education. Educators should work closely with parents and care-
givers to ensure that they are comfortable with the technology being used and understand how
student data will be collected and protected.
This systematic review has important implications for developers of smart home technolo-
gies. First, it highlights the need to prioritize security and privacy in the design and develop-
ment of these systems. The results show that the perception of trustworthiness is a critical
factor for users, so developers must implement strong data security measures and provide
transparency in the management of personal information.
In addition, this research highlights the importance of flexibility in system design. Since
each smart home technology application may have specific needs and characteristics, develop-
ers must be willing to adapt their models and solutions to the needs of each market. Interdisci-
plinary collaboration, including the involvement of security and ethics experts, is essential to
effectively address user concerns and develop solutions that inspire trust.
In terms of populations, the lack of research focused on specific populations, such as
people with disabilities or rural communities, highlights the need to design inclusive and
accessible technology solutions. Technology companies and product designers must care-
fully consider the diverse needs and limitations of these populations when developing
smart home devices and systems. This includes not only adapting the user interface and
functionality, but also ensuring that the solutions are affordable and easily accessible to
everyone.
In addition, research gaps in low-income and minority communities pose significant
challenges to technology equity. To address these gaps, it is essential that technology com-
panies work with local organizations and communities to understand specific needs and
overcome economic and cultural barriers. Not only can this lead to a larger and more
diverse market, but it can also help improve the quality of life for these communities by pro-
viding access to technologies that can increase energy efficiency, safety, and comfort in the
home.

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Theoretical contributions
The theoretical contributions derived from this systematic review are significant and shed
light on several aspects related to technology adoption in smart homes. First, a variety of theo-
ries and models have been identified that have been applied to understand this phenomenon
in different contexts and territories. In addition to traditional models such as TAM and DOI,
extended and enriched models have been proposed that incorporate additional elements to
address the complexity of smart home adoption.
Adapting models to the specific needs of each application is an important contribution.
This review notes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, as smart home technologies vary
in their characteristics and requirements. Researchers and practitioners now have the basis to
adapt theoretical models to the specifics of each industry, resulting in a more accurate and
effective approach to assessing technology acceptance.
Furthermore, the importance of the variable "perception of reliability" in the adoption of
smart home technology has been highlighted. This variable, which addresses the user’s percep-
tion of security and reliability, was highlighted as critical in a context where the security of per-
sonal data is a primary concern. This theoretical contribution highlights the need for
developers and companies in this sector to prioritize security and reliability in system design
and implementation.
Another important theoretical aspect is the fusion of theories and models, which allows for
a more holistic understanding of technology adoption in smart homes. Combining elements
from different theories, such as integrating TAM with the Theory of Diffusion of Innovations
or the Theory of Planned Behavior, provides a more complete view of the factors that influence
technology adoption. This theoretical contribution promotes an interdisciplinary approach to
address the complexities of technology adoption in the home.
In this sense, in terms of combining theories, Fig 2 is proposed, which presents an innova-
tive and comprehensive theoretical model. This model combines the main theories identified
in this systematic review, integrating elements of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM),
the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI), and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). It also
incorporates key latent variables from the scientific literature. This multidimensional approach
provides a solid foundation for analyzing and understanding technology adoption in the smart
home from a comprehensive perspective, taking into account the complex interaction of fac-
tors that influence user decisions.
The findings of this study add valuable nuances to existing technology adoption theories
and propose a new theoretical framework that reflects the complexity of technology adoption
in smart homes. The proposed model, the Technology Adoption Model for Smart Homes
(TAMSH), adds new nuances to traditional theories by integrating key variables specific to
technology adoption in this particular context. Rather than considering only individual per-
ceptions and attitudes toward technology, the TAMSH incorporates a broader range of influ-
ences, such as relative benefits, observability, social norms, and perceived costs. This enriches
existing theories by recognizing the importance of social and contextual factors in the adoption
of smart home technologies. In addition, the TAMSH highlights the importance of the vari-
ables of perceived enjoyment and perceived connectedness, which are critical to home technol-
ogy adoption but often overlooked in conventional theories.

Limitations
The studies analyzed have applied their adoption models locally; therefore, the variables associ-
ated with the findings result from the peculiarities and elements of each territory. For this rea-
son, new empirical and extended models have been developed, which suggest that these

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Fig 2. Proposal for a theoretical model of smart home adoption.

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theories should be applied based on the characteristics of each sector and not in a general way,
even more so taking into account the lack of studies in emerging economies because it is
unknown if these same variables are applicable in that context.
It is necessary to consider that one of the main limitations of the research is incomplete
retrieval, taking into account that for the study carried out, it was impossible to obtain detailed
information from all the texts retrieved from the databases, and not all documents were com-
plete or had open access to the public. Therefore, several studies were considered for the bib-
liometric analysis but discarded for the systematic literature review and the analysis of
thematic components related to the variables and theories.
It is important to note that this systematic review has inherent limitations that must be con-
sidered when interpreting the results. One of the main limitations is the relatively small num-
ber of articles included in the final sample, which consists of 12 studies. This means that the
results obtained, although significant within the selected sample, are not absolutely conclusive
in terms of representing all the information available in the scientific literature on the adoption
of smart homes. Future studies in this area could overcome this limitation by accessing a larger
number of articles and expanding the scope of the review to provide a more complete and
detailed view of the factors that influence the adoption of technologies in smart homes.

Related work
Other studies have addressed the perception of users about the implementation of smart
homes through a systematic literature review, for example, “A systematic review of the smart
home literature: A user perspective”, in which the authors conduct a review on the topicality of
the subject from the user perspective, presenting an overview of the characteristics of smart
homes, examining the impact of behavioral beliefs on user behavior and satisfaction, taking
into account the perceived risks and benefits, and therefore contributing to the literature on
the acceptance of technologies in private settings [44].

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

The approach taken in [28] involves the development of a holistic framework of smart
homes from a bibliometric perspective, focusing on their intellectual structure and research
trends through the application of analysis and visualization tools such as CiteSpace and VOS-
viewer, identifying hot spots, current affairs and further directions of research in this field.
Additionally, [45] carried out a bibliometric and scientometric study from the perspective
of users among the elderly population, analyzing research trends and identifying the need to
exert greater effort to diversify funding sources and priorities. In [46], the factors that hinder
and promote the adoption of smart home technologies are examined from the business point
of view. Based on an analysis of previous literature and thematic map, where constructs are
evaluated as drivers and obstacles to adoption, variables such as innovation, high cost, lack of
compatibility, lack of ability to test it, inability to observe it, lack of a trustworthy brand, lack of
favorable conditions, support services, complexity, and technological anxiety were identified.

Research agenda
Finally, in a complementary way, in this systematic review, a research agenda is proposed so
that, in addition to the identified gaps, other researchers can guide further scientific studies
based on topics considered emerging and cutting-edge, as observed in Fig 3.

Fig 3. Research agenda.

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

The research agenda is proposed from the 30 main concepts that, secondarily, have been
provided by all the authors who have researched factors for smart home adoption. The agenda
displays the window of time in which the concepts have been addressed and the most relevant
year, identifying the specific moment in which a concept was prominent in the scientific litera-
ture, prioritizing those concepts studied in the last year, with the most important occurring in
the year closest to the present.
In this sense, it is evident that the concept of telehealth has been addressed in a greater win-
dow of time, appearing in the scientific literature approximately in 2004 and being studied to
date. Therefore, although the most relevant year for this concept is approximately 2017, it is
among one of the most relevant keywords, in terms of benefits, for the adoption of smart
homes.
Another concept that has been transversally important for the development of the scientific
body is assistive technology, which, like telehealth, is positioned among one of the most rele-
vant subtopics in regard to understanding factors for the adoption of smart homes because it
offers a greater range of possibilities for the medical care of patients. Therefore, further studies
should expand on the importance of this factor, inquiring about the importance of assistive
technology on perceived usefulness, which is positioned as the second most important factor
in understanding the adoption of smart homes.
For understanding the factors that influence, in different populations, the adoption of
smart homes, the scientific literature has made use of technological acceptance and technologi-
cal adoption models in general. These two concepts are currently widely addressed. Further
research can add to the understanding of the field using other models validated in the scientific
literature, such as the UTAUT, as well as its multiple extensions, which, as previously identi-
fied, has been rarely addressed by different researchers, thus offering a wide margin of growth
and prominence for the near further for the topic of the adoption of smart homes.
However, the UTAUT model, as well as its extensions, is not the only model that can be
employed soon to understand better the factors for adopting smart homes. The model of tech-
nological acceptance (MTA) is well-positioned as the most important model to understand the
factors that affect the acceptance or adoption of smart homes in different populations that,
until now, have not been studied in the scientific literature.
From another perspective, the adoption of smart homes involves not only perceived useful-
ness, which has been addressed in telemedicine and technologies for medical care of different
types of patients but also the individual innovation of users at the forefront of technology. This
is currently one of the most studied concepts and further research should build on its inherent
relationship with important variables such as perceived compatibility, perceived automation,
and perceived interconnection, among others, to expand the knowledge of the main factors of
adoption of smart homes by this type of consumer.
One of the main concepts that has emerged in the research field in the previous decade and
constitutes one of the main factors today is privacy, associated with aspects of safety and reli-
ability by consumers. Therefore, as identified among the main gaps, further research should
expand the concrete understanding of the main factors that explain perceived reliability and
develop solutions that allow this technological innovation to be adopted by more people to
enjoy its different benefits and facilities.
Finally, from the most important technical aspect, further research should provide new per-
spectives for the understanding, acceptance, and use of the IoT and home automation, with
the former being fundamental for the interconnection of different elements and the latter
being the automation of different patterns so that different types of populations can exploit
smart home technology.

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Conclusions
Based on the research findings, the adoption of smart homes is positioned as a growing theme
in the scientific literature, whose bibliometric research trends show the importance of scien-
tific and technological development in the present and the near future. Studies are growing at
an exponential rate, primarily in the context of developed countries such as the United States,
Germany, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, which have expanded the scientific litera-
ture thanks to both their scientific and research as technological and innovation capacity.
The thematic evolution analysis revealed that the adoption of smart homes not only relates
to factors associated with health and telemedicine but also currently accounts for aspects of
innovation based on consolidated technologies such as the IoT, and other emerging concepts,
such as home automation, which involves aspects associated with interconnection and
automation.
In addition, currently, the adoption of smart homes is more associated with technological
acceptance factors than behavioral factors, with the main models being the TAM, as well as its
different extensions, and the DOI, even more so than the TPB, which focuses on more psycho-
behavioral aspects than on technology adoption.
It is evident that, with the TAM as the most used theory to understand the factors for the
adoption of smart homes, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are positioned
among the variables that most explain this technological adoption. However, perceived reli-
ability is the most important variable at present and the most important shortly because secu-
rity and privacy directly affect how users perceive the reliability of this cutting-edge
technology, in addition to other factors such as perceived enjoyment and perceived cost.
Understanding that the main theories used to investigate the adoption of smart homes
involve technological acceptance issues rather than behavioral issues, further research should
add new analysis elements through one of today’s leading theories, i.e., the UTAUT, as identi-
fied as a main gap in existing research.
Finally, this systematic literature review allowed for establishing the orientation for further
research based on a research agenda that includes cutting-edge and emerging concepts within
the research field and the main research gaps identified to expand the understanding of the
factors for the adoption of smart homes from the scientific perspective and develop new tech-
nical and innovative solutions from the technological perspective.

Supporting information
S1 Checklist. PRISMA 2020 checklist.
(DOCX)

Author Contributions
Conceptualization: Alejandro Valencia-Arias.
Data curation: Alejandro Valencia-Arias, Jackeline Valencia.
Formal analysis: Alejandro Valencia-Arias, Sebastian Cardona-Acevedo, Juan David Gonza-
lez-Ruiz.
Investigation: Sebastian Cardona-Acevedo, Jackeline Valencia.
Methodology: Sebastian Cardona-Acevedo, Sergio Gómez-Molina, Juan David Gonzalez-
Ruiz.
Project administration: Sergio Gómez-Molina.

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PLOS ONE Smart home adoption factors

Resources: Alejandro Valencia-Arias.

Software: Sebastian Cardona-Acevedo, Sergio Gómez-Molina, Juan David Gonzalez-Ruiz,
Jackeline Valencia.
Supervision: Sergio Gómez-Molina.
Visualization: Jackeline Valencia.
Writing – original draft: Alejandro Valencia-Arias, Sebastian Cardona-Acevedo.
Writing – review & editing: Alejandro Valencia-Arias, Sergio Gómez-Molina, Juan David
Gonzalez-Ruiz, Jackeline Valencia.

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