Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the level of awareness, uses, and satisfaction on home automation systems by the digital home residents, to reveal the existing problems using home automation systems, and to clarify residents' positive or negative life changes after using home automation systems. Two apartment complexes, which were relatively well equipped with home automation systems compared to other recently built apartments, were selected to perform the survey by digital home residents who were housewives and have lived in current home more than 6 months. The researcher developed a survey questionnaire for each apartment complex and collected data from 501 residents from May to June, 2008. The results of the study found low awareness and low uses of remote control systems of electric appliances through a cellular phone or PC from outside. Also, the significant variables which showed group differences in level of uses and satisfation were age, annual income, duration of residence, and level of considering home automation system before decision to move in. The results of the study also revealed that frequent breakdown was the most critical problem using home automation systems. Generally, using home automation systems affected to residents' life changes positively. More findings and suggestions for development of more user-friendly digital home services were discussed.
