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arXiv · 0704.3643

Sabbath Day Home Automation: "It's Like Mixing Technology and Religion"

Allison Woodruff·Sally Augustin·Brooke Foucault
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Abstract

We present a qualitative study of 20 American Orthodox Jewish families' use of home automation for religious purposes. These lead users offer insight into real-life, long-term experience with home automation technologies. We discuss how automation was seen by participants to contribute to spiritual experience and how participants oriented to the use of automation as a religious custom. We also discuss the relationship of home automation to family life. We draw design implications for the broader population, including surrender of control as a design resource, home technologies that support long-term goals and lifestyle choices, and respite from technology.

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Allison Woodruff, Sally Augustin, Brooke Foucault. 2007-04-27. Sabbath Day Home Automation: "It's Like Mixing Technology and Religion". https://arxiv.org/abs/0704.3643

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