Systematic analysis of mobile diabetes management applications on different platforms

There are a number of mobile applications available to help patients suffering from Type 1 diabetes to manage their condition, but the quality of these applications varies greatly. This paper details the findings from a systematic analysis of these applications on three mobile platforms (Android, iOS, and Blackberry) that was conducted to establish the state of the art in mobile applications for diabetes management. The findings from this analysis will help to inform the future development of more effective mobile applications to help patients suffering from Type 1 diabetes who wish to manage their condition with a mobile application

Mobile Instant Messaging Apps: Usability Evaluation on iOS and Android Platforms and Recommendations for Developers

With the current growth in the use of smartphone devices, and the large amount of Mobile Instant Messaging applications available in the markets, this co-occurrence makes it highly valuable to evaluate the usability of this kind of applications in order to provide more satisfying user experiences. Within this paper, a systematic usability evaluation of Mobile Instant Messaging applications is presented, which will be applied to both iOS and Android platforms. Based on the results, it is suggested that this type of mobile applications present serious problems in performing tasks, poor user interfaces and lack of information about privacy and security features. Likewise, along with the results, this paper presents a list of usability recommendations to help developers improve their Instant Messaging applications

A protocol for evaluating mobile applications

The number of applications available for mobile phones is growing at a rate which makes it difficult for new application developers to establish the current state of the art before embarking on new product development. This chapter outlines a protocol for capturing a snapshot of the present state of applications in existence for a given field in terms of both usability and functionality. The proposed methodology is versatile in the sense that it can be implemented for any domain across all mobile platforms, which is illustrated here by its application to two dissimilar domains on three platforms. The chapter concludes with a critical evaluation of the process that was undertaken

Melhoria de um conjunto de heurísticas de usabilidade para sistemas mHealth em smartphones

TCC(graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro Tecnológico. Ciências da Computação.Smartphones têm se tornado parte significativa do cotidiano das pessoas, incluindo seu cuidado com a saúde. Entretanto, há uma série de problemas de usabilidade associados a aplicativos mHealth. O objetivo deste trabalho é a melhoria do conjunto de heurísticas e checklist MATcH-MED. Os itens do checklist foram revisados considerando análises anteriores e problemas de usabilidade do contexto. Assim, uma nova versão do MATcH-MED foi proposta. Foram coletados dados de 200 avaliações heurísticas e por meio de uma análise com a aplicação de Teoria de Resposta ao Item foi possível confirmar quais itens são capazes de medir a usabilidade de aplicativos mHealth para smartphones.Smartphones have become a significant aspect of peoples lives, including their healthcare. However, there are various usability problems associated with mHealth applications. The objective of this work is the improvement of the set of heuristics and checklist MATcH-MED. The itens of the checklist were reviewed considering previous analysis and usability problems of the context. Thus, a new version of the MATcH-MED was proposed. Data from 200 heuristic evaluations was collected and through the application of Item Response Theory was possible to identify which itens are acapable of measuring the usability of mHealth apps for smartphones

Seniors with Diabetes-Investigation of the Impact of Semantic Auditory Distractions on the Usability of a Blood Glucose Tracking Mobile Application

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. With the population rapidly aging, it is expected that 1 out of 3 Americans will have diabetes by 2050. Mobile devices and mobile applications have the potential to contribute to diabetes self-care by allowing users to manage their diabetes by keeping track of their blood glucose levels. Usability is important for systems that help people self-manage conditions such as diabetes. Age and diabetes-related cognitive decline might intensify the impact of usability issues for the users who need these mobile applications the most. As highlighted by usability researchers, the context of use (i.e. environment, user, task, and technology) has a significant impact on usability. The environment (lighting, temperature, audio and visual distractions, etc.) is of special interest to the mobile usability arena since in the case of mobile devices, is always changing. This dissertation aims to support the claim that context and more specifically environmental distraction such as semantic auditory distractions impact the usability of mobile applications. In doing so, it attempts to answer the following research questions: 1) Does semantic auditory distractions reduce the effectiveness of a blood glucose tracking mobile application? 2) Does semantic auditory distractions reduce the efficiency of a blood glucose tracking mobile application? 3) Does semantic auditory distractions reduce the user satisfaction of a blood glucose tracking mobile application? To answer the study research questions, a true experimental design was performed involving 30 adults with type 2 diabetes. Participants were paired based on their age and experience with smartphones and randomly assigned to the control (no semantic auditory distractions) or experimental (semantic auditory distractions) group. Research questions were tested using the general linear model. The results of this study confirmed that semantic auditory distractions have a significant effect on efficiency and effectiveness, and hence they need to be taken into account when evaluating mobile usability. This study also showed that semantic auditory distractions have no significant effect on user satisfaction. This dissertation enhances the current knowledge about the impact of semantic auditory distractions on the usability of mobile applications within the diabetic senior population

Medical Informatics and Data Analysis

During recent years, the use of advanced data analysis methods has increased in clinical and epidemiological research. This book emphasizes the practical aspects of new data analysis methods, and provides insight into new challenges in biostatistics, epidemiology, health sciences, dentistry, and clinical medicine. This book provides a readable text, giving advice on the reporting of new data analytical methods and data presentation. The book consists of 13 articles. Each article is self-contained and may be read independently according to the needs of the reader. The book is essential reading for postgraduate students as well as researchers from medicine and other sciences where statistical data analysis plays a central role

Exploring the potential of using mobile applications in diabetes management

Background Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disease and a leading cause of morbidity, complications and mortality worldwide. The number of people living with diabetes is projected to rise sharply over the forthcoming decades. Diabetes care is complex and can overburden clinicians and nurses. There is a need for innovative, flexible and cost-effective technologies to enable successful diabetes management. This thesis explores the opportunities and challenges of the mobile application (app) technology as a potential tool to support diabetes care and management. Purpose The purpose was to develop and evaluate a mobile app that supports healthcare professionals (HCPs) in clinical decision-making. Methods A mixed-methods approach was used following the user-centred design (UCD) framework for the design and implementation of all studies. Quantitative and qualitative systematic reviews of studies reporting the use of mobile apps to support diabetes management were undertaken to identify, appraise and summarise available research evidence. An interview study was carried out with diabetes specialist nurses (DSNs), to explore their experiences and views, and to identify user requirements for apps. Lastly, a guidelines-based mobile clinical decision-support app was developed and tested with junior doctors and DSNs in a controlled environment to evaluate its usability and impact on adherence to clinical guidelines, and to explore how participants experienced the app and their suggestions for improvements. Results Both reviews found that the existing evidence base for mobile apps is weak and inadequate to draw conclusions about the impact of their use as interventions in diabetes management. The interview study identified that nurses lack experience in using apps in clinical practice, even though they believed it could facilitate and support their work. ‘Diabetes & CKD’, a simple mobile decision-support app, has been designed and built for the study to assist HCPs in management of patients with diabetes and kidney disease and was tested by 39 junior doctors and 3 DSNs. It had no impact on the accuracy of decisions. Feedback from participants after the pilot session and usability testing indicated a wish to integrate such apps into their clinical practice with a strong willingness to use them in the future. Conclusions Application of UCD methods was efficient as the app was well-accepted by both DSNs and junior doctors. Despite the positive views and the strong willingness to use such apps, they are not widely used. There is a need to regulate the use of medical apps in clinical practice. Further research with rigorous methodology is required upon which policymakers and practitioners can base their decision-making

Aportaciones para la mejora de la usabilidad de las interfaces de los objetos docentes en el m-learnig

Marcos Ortega, Luis de, codir.El incremento del uso de los dispositivos móviles en los últimos aǫs y la revolución que ha supuesto el e-learning en el ámbito de la enseąnza han propiciado la aparición del m-learning. Por otro lado, tradicionalmente los dispositivos con un pequeǫ tamaǫ de pantalla han sufrido algunos problemas relacionados con la usabilidad, y los dispositivos móviles no son una excepción. Por ello, es importante tener en cuenta la usabilidad en estos dispositivos, y más aun cuando se trata de enseąnza virtual a través de los mismos, ya que una mala usabilidad podría provocar que los alumnos estuvieran constantemente distraídos con la interfaz (por ejemplo, intentando encontrar una determinada opción) y no centrados en lo realmente importante: el aprendizaje. El objetivo planteado en la presente tesis es obtener un conjunto de directrices de usabilidad válido para las interfaces de los objetos docentes basados en web para dispositivos móviles. Para conseguir dicho objetivo, se propone una metodología que consiste en partir de un conjunto de directrices fuente diseądas para páginas web de PC, hacer una evaluación experta y llevar a cabo una experimentación, de manera que al final se consiguen obtener unas directrices válidas para objetos docentes basados en web para dispositivos móviles. Esta metodología se aplica a la ISO 9241-151 y se consigue obtener como resultado un conjunto de directrices válidas para los objetos docentes basados en web para dispositivos móviles

Aportaciones para la mejora de la usabilidad de las interfaces de los objetos docentes en el m-learnig

Marcos Ortega, Luis de, codir.El incremento del uso de los dispositivos móviles en los últimos aǫs y la revolución que ha supuesto el e-learning en el ámbito de la enseąnza han propiciado la aparición del m-learning. Por otro lado, tradicionalmente los dispositivos con un pequeǫ tamaǫ de pantalla han sufrido algunos problemas relacionados con la usabilidad, y los dispositivos móviles no son una excepción. Por ello, es importante tener en cuenta la usabilidad en estos dispositivos, y más aun cuando se trata de enseąnza virtual a través de los mismos, ya que una mala usabilidad podría provocar que los alumnos estuvieran constantemente distraídos con la interfaz (por ejemplo, intentando encontrar una determinada opción) y no centrados en lo realmente importante: el aprendizaje. El objetivo planteado en la presente tesis es obtener un conjunto de directrices de usabilidad válido para las interfaces de los objetos docentes basados en web para dispositivos móviles. Para conseguir dicho objetivo, se propone una metodología que consiste en partir de un conjunto de directrices fuente diseądas para páginas web de PC, hacer una evaluación experta y llevar a cabo una experimentación, de manera que al final se consiguen obtener unas directrices válidas para objetos docentes basados en web para dispositivos móviles. Esta metodología se aplica a la ISO 9241-151 y se consigue obtener como resultado un conjunto de directrices válidas para los objetos docentes basados en web para dispositivos móviles

Tecnología y Accesibilidad Volumen 1

Prologar el texto de las actas del VII Congreso Internacional sobre Aplicación de Tecnologías de la información y Comunicaciones Avanzadas (ATICA2016) y de la IV Conferencia Internacional sobre Aplicación de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones para mejorar la Accesibilidad (ATICAcces 2016), no solo es una tarea privilegiada sino también una responsabilidad, en especial con la sociedad que solicita tecnologías inclusivas y comunicaciones efectivas en pro de la equidad. Es interesante señalar que el anhelo por consolidar categorías que favorezcan la participación social ha sido el sueño y trabajo de muchos, por ejemplo vale recordar que en este año del Congreso se cumplen 500 desde que Tomás Moro ofreciera al mundo su voz en “UTOPIA”, donde en la idealización de su isla estampó una cultura de trabajo, cooperación y democracia, sin descuidar que proclamó a Amauroto, la capital de su República, como una de total accesibilidad para que todo ciudadano pueda llegar y gozar de ella, con suficiente agua para todos; su localidad estaba constituida por casas que eran custodiadas por cerraduras tan simples que cualquiera podía ingresar o salir de ellas ya que el verdadero tesoro de toda persona era su propio ser. Este breve evocar, da la pauta para promover Utopías necesarias en cuanto a las TIC, que aunque sabemos que es quimérico hablar de ellas como totalmente abiertas y al alcance de todos, debería ser éste el ideal de los hombres cuya ciencia, hoy en día, permite integrarnos a esta nuestra aldea global, es por ello que ATICA 2016 busca romper aquellos muros virtuales y tecnológicos que impiden una comunicación efectiva en nuestros tiempos. El trabajo del Congreso también semeja a la norma de discusión del Senado de Utopía, donde sus expositores socializan sus lógicas mejores, no hay intervención que no sea fruto de la madurez de un proceso investigativo científico que procure el bien público. Parece igualmente exacto ver como entre los participantes existe una suerte de familia, que aunque adoptiva, por configurarse alrededor de un objetivo común como ATICA 2016, a todos ellos, su dedicación a la ciencia y la tecnología al servicio de los más necesitados, los ha unido. En esta ocasión los autores representan a 11 países: Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, España, Francia, Guatemala, México, Panamá y Perú; es notable ver como los frutos académicos expuestos en los 80 artículos científicos aceptados de un total de 115 enviados, 36 abordan la línea de “Aplicación de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones para mejorar la Accesibilidad” y los restantes 44 son sobre “Aplicación de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones Avanzadas”, todos ellos superan en mucho las horas normales de trabajo, en resumen es evidente el esfuerzo académico y la convicción por un mundo más accesible desde las TIC .En el relato de Moro, la verdadera felicidad, es la libertad y el desarrollo de valores espirituales, pero también existe posibilidad para la guerra y la esclavitud, asimismo como la ciencia y tecnología pueden ser consideradas herramientas de doble arista; por ello el Congreso enfocó muy bien su debate y su comité científico, formado por académicos internacionales, aseguró que ATICA 2016 esté en torno a la inclusión y a la equidad. Igual satisfacción que dejó en su tiempo Utopía a aquellos a los cuáles le fue develada, encontrarán las gentes de hoy en ATICA 2016. Las memorias del evento ponen de manifiesto nuevas lógicas comunicativas y tecnológicas, pero sobre todo nos dicen que, conforme hace 500 años, es posible soñar en un futuro mejor si la ciencia y tecnología están al servicio del ser humano