Implementing Motivational Features for an Augmented Reality Game Encouraging Physical Activity for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

Evidence shows lower physical activity (PA) levels in persons with an intellectual disability (ID) compared to the general population. Physical activity promotes multiple health benefits, such as prolonged life and reduced risk for obtaining various chronic diseases. There are numerous applications targeting increased physical activity for the general population, but these tend to be too complex to use, and have therefore not been adopted, by persons with ID. Exergames promote increased physical activity by utilizing the entertaining aspects of games as a motivator, and some research has been explicitly aimed toward providing such a platform for persons with ID. One application targeting increased PA levels in persons with ID is Sorterius. While Sorterius promotes PA during utilization, it is somewhat limited in providing motivational elements to its users, and an increase in motivational elements could greatly increase usage of the application. Therefore, the main goal of this project was to enhance the overall enjoyment of playing Sorterius. To reach this goal, the project utilized knowledge gained from a prior literature review assessing which game aspects persons with ID perceived as motivating. The project also relied on continuous discussion with experts in the field. The resulting design includes a customizable mascot where users can unlock new items for their mascot and an automated difficulty adjustment based on user performance. To evaluate the application, a usability test was conducted on two experts and six persons with ID for a duration of two weeks. Due to various reasons, we were only able to retrieve written consent from one of the persons with ID before submitting the thesis. Results from testing indicated a similar degree of usability as the previous version while providing an increased number of motivational elements towards its users. The new version was also tested on the intended users compared to the previous version

Spartan Daily, February 21, 2003

Volume 120, Issue 21https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/9817/thumbnail.jp

The Evolution of First Person Vision Methods: A Survey

The emergence of new wearable technologies such as action cameras and smart-glasses has increased the interest of computer vision scientists in the First Person perspective. Nowadays, this field is attracting attention and investments of companies aiming to develop commercial devices with First Person Vision recording capabilities. Due to this interest, an increasing demand of methods to process these videos, possibly in real-time, is expected. Current approaches present a particular combinations of different image features and quantitative methods to accomplish specific objectives like object detection, activity recognition, user machine interaction and so on. This paper summarizes the evolution of the state of the art in First Person Vision video analysis between 1997 and 2014, highlighting, among others, most commonly used features, methods, challenges and opportunities within the field.Comment: First Person Vision, Egocentric Vision, Wearable Devices, Smart Glasses, Computer Vision, Video Analytics, Human-machine Interactio

Spartan Daily, September 28, 2000

Volume 115, Issue 20https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/9587/thumbnail.jp

Sorterius: Game-inspired App for Encouraging Outdoor Physical Activity for People with Intellectual Disabilities

People with intellectual disabilities have difficulties in reaching the World Health Organization's (WHO) suggested level of physical activity. Previous research shows that participating in physical activities often is related to self-efficacy in a physical activity setting and personal motivation. As physical activity has significant effects on physical and mental health, this thesis aimed to develop a mobile application that could help people with intellectual disabilities be more physically active. In the process of creating an encouraging and user-friendly mobile application, this project includes literature reviews, meetings with experts in the field, discussions with special education teachers and teachers working with people with intellectual disability, and the author's own experience with this user group. The project relies on guidelines and theory to create a user interface to fit people with intellectual disabilities. This thesis presents a cross-platform mobile application that combines the digital and real world. Using augmented reality, players walk around in the real world looking after digital garbage. As they walk, they will find garbage on the ground and get the option of sorting the garbage in the correct garbage bins. The game's main objective is to look for garbage and throw it in the correct garbage bin. As users progress throughout the game, they earn stars based on their step count while playing the game. Together with family members or assistants, they can add weekly physical activity goals and earn special rewards created by family members or assistants. Usability testing is mainly done on special education teachers, social workers, psychologist, and researchers working with people with intellectual disabilities. It revealed that creating a mobile application focusing on everyday life scenarios can have a potential value for the targeted user group. However, testing also showed that using augmented reality can be challenging. Long-term testing on individuals with an intellectual disability will start in the upcoming weeks in a study conducted by the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN), in collaboration with UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Self-Care Technologies in HCI: Trends, Tensions, and Opportunities

Many studies show that self-care technologies can support patients with chronic conditions and their carers in understanding the ill body and increasing control of their condition. However, many of these studies have largely privileged a medical perspective and thus overlooked how patients and carers integrate self-care into their daily lives and mediate their conditions through technology. In this review, we focus on how patients and carers use and experience self-care technology through a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) lens. We analyse studies of self-care published in key HCI journals and conferences using the Grounded Theory Literature Review (GTLR) method and identify research trends and design tensions. We then draw out opportunities for advancing HCI research in self-care, namely, focusing further on patients' everyday life experience, considering existing collaborations in self-care, and increasing the influence on medical research and practice around self-care technology

Spartan Daily, March 10, 1999

Volume 112, Issue 30https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/9387/thumbnail.jp

Spartan Daily, September 12, 1988

Volume 91, Issue 9https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/7735/thumbnail.jp