Persuading Physical Activity Engagement with a Behavior Modification Sensor System

The use of computing technologies to persuade behavior change has been an active research domain in recent years; yet, the question of the impact of persuasive messages generated from an understanding of a person’s daily living pattern from wake through sleep remains unanswered. This paper describes a recently completed study of a behavior modification sensor system that was developed and embedded in the home of an elderly Hispanic female. The developed information system supported real-time user monitoring of physical activity and in-home living activity for the purpose of building “information rich” persuasive-based messages intended to promote behavior change in daily physical activity and not linked to a sports-based activity. Initial findings from a three month exploratory study posit that understanding and using a person’s daily living pattern can support more “information rich” and stronger persuasive messages and improve physical activity within the message recipient

A Secure Behavior Modification Sensor System for Physical Activity Improvement

Today, advances in wireless sensor networks are making it possible to capture large amounts of information about a person and their interaction within their home environment. However, what is missing is how to ensure the security of the collected data and its use to alter human behavior for positive benefit. In this research, exploration was conducted involving the infrastructure and intelligence aspects of a wireless sensor network through a Behavior Modification Sensor System. First was to understand how a secure wireless sensor network could be established through the symmetric distribution of keys (the securing of the infrastructure), and it involves the mathematical analysis of a novel key pre-distribution scheme. Second explores via field testing the intelligence level of the system. This was meant to support the generation of persuasive messages built from the integration of a person\u27s physiological and living pattern data in persuading physical activity behavior change associated with daily walking steps. This system was used by an elderly female in a three-month study. Findings regarding the infrastructure or the novel key pre-distribution scheme in comparison to three popular key distribution methods indicates that it offers greater network resiliency to security threats (i.e., 1/2^32 times lower), better memory utilization (i.e., 53.9% less), but higher energy consumption (i.e., 2% higher) than its comparison group. Findings from the intelligence level of the research posit that using a person\u27s physiological and living pattern data may allow for more information rich and stronger persuasive messages. Findings indicate that the study participant was able to change and improve her average daily walking steps by 61% over a pre-treatment period. As the study participant increased her physical activity, changes in her living pattern were also observed (e.g., time spent watching television decreased while time spent engaged in walking increased by an average of 15 minutes per day). Reinforcement of these findings were noted between a pre and post-study survey that indicated the study participant moved from a contemplation stage of change where physical activity engagement was intended but not acted upon to an action stage of change where physical activity engagement dominated the new behavior