A Study on the Functional Characteristics and Design Directions of Smart Furniture in a Super-Aged Society -Focusing on Empirical Analysis and Case Studies(CES 2023-2025)-
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(Background and Purpose) As of 2025, South Korea has entered a super-aged society, with the proportion of the population aged 65 and older exceeding 20% of the total registered population. This not only signifies an increase in the elderly population but also highlights that housing environment issues surrounding seniors are expected to become a significant social concern. As seniors experience aging, their physical and mental functions decline, leading them to spend relatively more time in residential spaces, which, in turn, increases the frequency of furniture use. Against this backdrop, smart furniture incorporating technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and robotics has shown potential to support various aspects of seniors' daily lives. Therefore, this study aims to examine how the key characteristics of smart furniture are evolving and propose future design directions. (Method) This study empirically analyzed the effects of smart furniture characteristics on user satisfaction and continuance intention based on a previous study. As a result, it was confirmed that multifunctionality, ease of use, and usefulness are significant factors influencing user satisfaction and continued usage intention. Therefore, based on the results of the empirical analysis, an evaluation model was designed, and nine smart furniture pieces that won innovation awards at CES, the world's largest information technology(IT) and home appliance exhibition, in the past three years(2023–2025) were selected and case analyses were conducted. (Results) This study analyzed cases using the evaluation model and found that multifunctional smart furniture was integrated with healthcare, highlighting its ability to provide a customized experience for seniors. Smart furniture with ease of use was designed to ensure that seniors can easily operate it through intuitive interfaces and automation features. Smart furniture with usefulness stood out for its role in supporting not only health management but also mental well-being. (Conclusions) Based on the development status of key characteristics of smart furniture, this study proposes the following design directions. First, an all-in-one smart furniture system that harmoniously integrates multifunctionality, convenience, and usefulness should be developed to maximize user convenience. Second, smart furniture should naturally support both physical and mental health management in daily life. Third, intelligence should be utilized to enhance personalized experiences for seniors. Fourth, smart furniture should be integrated into the smart home ecosystem based on connectivity. Through this approach, a 'moderate digitalization' strategy should be adopted, considering the usability and accessibility needs of seniors. For future research, smart furniture design directions will be further explored using generative AI to develop senior-friendly smart furniture solutions.
Abstract
(Background and Purpose) As of 2025, South Korea has entered a super-aged society, with the proportion of the population aged 65 and older exceeding 20% of the total registered population. This not only signifies an increase in the elderly population but also highlights that housing environment issues surrounding seniors are expected to become a significant social concern. As seniors experience aging, their physical and mental functions decline, leading them to spend relatively more time in residential spaces, which, in turn, increases the frequency of furniture use. Against this backdrop, smart furniture incorporating technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and robotics has shown potential to support various aspects of seniors' daily lives. Therefore, this study aims to examine how the key characteristics of smart furniture are evolving and propose future design directions. (Method) This study empirically analyzed the effects of smart furniture characteristics on user satisfaction and continuance intention based on a previous study. As a result, it was confirmed that multifunctionality, ease of use, and usefulness are significant factors influencing user satisfaction and continued usage intention. Therefore, based on the results of the empirical analysis, an evaluation model was designed, and nine smart furniture pieces that won innovation awards at CES, the world's largest information technology(IT) and home appliance exhibition, in the past three years(2023–2025) were selected and case analyses were conducted. (Results) This study analyzed cases using the evaluation model and found that multifunctional smart furniture was integrated with healthcare, highlighting its ability to provide a customized experience for seniors. Smart furniture with ease of use was designed to ensure that seniors can easily operate it through intuitive interfaces and automation features. Smart furniture with usefulness stood out for its role in supporting not only health management but also mental well-being. (Conclusions) Based on the development status of key characteristics of smart furniture, this study proposes the following design directions. First, an all-in-one smart furniture system that harmoniously integrates multifunctionality, convenience, and usefulness should be developed to maximize user convenience. Second, smart furniture should naturally support both physical and mental health management in daily life. Third, intelligence should be utilized to enhance personalized experiences for seniors. Fourth, smart furniture should be integrated into the smart home ecosystem based on connectivity. Through this approach, a 'moderate digitalization' strategy should be adopted, considering the usability and accessibility needs of seniors. For future research, smart furniture design directions will be further explored using generative AI to develop senior-friendly smart furniture solutions.