Smart home soundscape: constructing a perceptual model with qualitative and quantitative methods

The proliferation of smart technology has led to the diversification and randomization of indoor sound sources. This necessitates a more nuanced consideration of user subjective experiences in indoor soundscape design. Consequently, identifying the perceptual dimensions of smart home soundscapes has become a critical issue in indoor sound environment design. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify the perceptual dimensions of smart home soundscapes, using a mixed-methods approach that combined qualitative and quantitative techniques. First, perceptual indicators were extracted based on grounded theory. Subsequently, virtual reality (VR) technology was used to simulate 12 different sound sources within three typical scenarios (Rest/ Entertainment/ Work). Quantitative perceptual data were collected from 120 participants in laboratory settings. Finally, factor analysis was applied to extract the perceptual dimensions of both the sound sources and sound environment. The results indicated the following: (1) Interview data culminated in 29 evaluation indicators for sound sources and 21 indicators for the sound environment. (2) The perceptual dimensions of the sound sources included comfort, informativeness, pleasantness, clarity, and redundancy. (3) The overall perception of the sound environment can be summarized as comfort and recognisability. Furthermore, the study discussed perceptual differences across various sound sources and scenario types through an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component distributions. The conclusions provide a theoretical framework for indoor soundscape design and offer design implications for the acoustic optimisation of smart home products.