Abstract

This study proposes enhanced oversight of smart homes by leveraging the social networks of homeowners to co-monitor for emergencies, while being mindful of privacy preserving features necessary for adoption. A pilot co-design workshop was conducted to determine features for co-monitoring. A group of four participants provided early findings and informed modifications to study design, and new insights for user behavior were emphasized. By refining the study design, we hope to better target users' tacit knowledge in future workshops. Early findings include the users' need for more than simply sharing access to a camera during an emergency in the home; users desired control over the microphone, the camera video stream, and the length of time. We believe this work will contribute to a broader understanding of features that better meet the needs and goals of smart device owners to enable co-monitoring.