We describe the SAWUI architecture by whic h
smartphones can easi ly show user interfaces for nearby
appliances, with no m odification or pre-installation of
software on the phone , no reliance on cl oud services or
networking infrastructure, and modest additional hardware
in the appliance. In contrast to appliances’ physical user
interfaces, which are often as simple as buttons, icons and
LEDs, SAWUIs leverage smartphones’ powerful UI
hardware to provide personalized, self-explanatory,
adaptive, and localized UIs.
To explore the opportunities created by SAWUIs, we
conducted a study asking designers to redesign two
appliances to include SAWUIs. Tas k characteristics
including frequency, proximity, and complexity were used
in deciding whether to place functionality on the physical
UI, the SAWUI, or both. Furthermore, results illustrate
how, in addition to support for accomplishing tasks,
SAWUIs have the potential to enrich human experiences
around appliances by increasing user autonomy and
supporting better integration of appliances into users’ social
and personal lives.