Human Empowerment in a Semantic Web of Things : Concept of a semantic platform for connected devices

Abstract: The Internet of Things is a vision of autonomous devices that can gather, process, and transmit information without human intervention. The power of the Internet of Things lies in the connections between devices and internet resources. They allow humans to delegate automatable tasks to devices and internet services so that they can execute them. Yet, there is no common platform for connecting these resources today. Recent studies show that human autonomy, agency, and social injustice are of concern to users when asked about Internet of Things scenarios. Yet, research focuses on technological advancements, making internet enabled devices more autonomous instead of addressing needs and concerns of users. This thesis identifies requirements for a tool, that allows layman users to create connections between connected devices and internet resources. A Theory of Use incorporates these reqirements and outlines qualities of a good solution which are then refined by sketches. The resulting hypothesis incorporates these qualities as well as the principles of designing for appropriation to support adaptation and adoption by users. The outcome of this thesis is a framework that puts human needs first, supporting human autonomy, agency, and social justice. It includes concepts of the Semantic Web of Things for easy integration of devices and internet services and allows both humans and machines to make sense of the underlying information.