Cyber-physical systems in the smart home: a review

Cyber-physical systems are composed of collaborative computational entities that are closely integrated with the physical environment, with smart home systems representing one of their most prominent applications. Through intelligent sensors and actuators, smart home systems aim to provide personalized services that enhance interaction between the digital and physical domains. However, existing conceptualizations of cyber-physical systems and smart home systems are often superficial and lack sufficient technical depth. To address this gap, this study analyzes journal articles and conference papers indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, guided by five research questions, while excluding works with low relevance or limited data integrity. The results reveal sustained growth in scientific production between 2014 and 2024, increasing from 405 publications in 2014 to 1,587 in 2023, which represents an approximate growth of 292%. The predominant enabling technologies identified include the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and digital twins, which collectively account for more than 70% of the proposed systems. Current developments are primarily oriented toward health, safety, and energy efficiency, while significant challenges persist in data security, privacy, and system explainability.