The SenseCam as a tool for task observation

The SenseCam is a passive capture wearable camera, worn around the neck and developed by Microsoft Research in the UK. When worn continuously it takes an average of 2,000 images per day. It was originally envisaged for use within the domain of Human Digital Memory to create a personal lifelog or visual recording of the wearer's life, which can be helpful as an aid to human memory. However, within this paper, we explore its applicability as a tool for use within observational and ethnographic studies. We employed the SenseCam as a tool for the collection of observational data in an empirical study, which sought to determine the information access practices of molecular medicine researchers. The affordances of the SenseCam making it appropriate for use within this domain, as well as its limitations, are discussed in the context of this study. We found that while the SenseCam, in its current form, will not offer a complete replacement of traditional observational methods, it offers a complimentary and supplementary route to the collection of observational data

Data collection methods for task-based information access in molecular medicine

An important area of improving access to health information is the study of task-based information access in the health domain. This is a significant challenge towards developing focused information retrieval (IR) systems. Due to the complexities of this context, its study requires multiple and often tedious means of data collection, which yields a lot of data for analysis, but also allows triangulation so as to increase the reliability of the findings. In addition to traditional means of data collection, such as questionnaires, interviews and observation, there are novel opportunities provided by lifelogging technologies such as the SenseCam. Together they yield an understanding of information needs, the sources used, and their access strategies. The present paper examines the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional and the more novel means of data collection and addresses the challenges in their application in molecular medicine, which intensively uses digital information sources

Analyzing the Use of Camera Glasses in the Wild

Camera glasses enable people to capture point-of-view videos using a common accessory, hands-free. In this paper, we investigate how, when, and why people used one such product: Spectacles. We conducted 39 semi-structured interviews and surveys with 191 owners of Spectacles. We found that the form factor elicits sustained usage behaviors, and opens opportunities for new use-cases and types of content captured. We provide a usage typology, and highlight societal and individual factors that influence the classification of behaviors.Comment: In Proceedings of the 37th Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2019). ACM, New York, NY, US

Multimodal identification of journeys

Due to the ubiquity of localisation technology, users now have the ability to keep a record of their own location, as a kind of ‘location diary’. Such a large collection of data can become unmanageable without some way to structure that data to make it useful and searchable. We address this problem of structuring location data by proposing a framework for classifying the data into often-traversed routes. In this work, commonly traversed routes are identified with clusters based on sensed data. Our framework does not rely on any one source of location information, but can fuse data from multimodal localisation sources. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm by examining the combination of GPS, wireless signal strength readings and image-matching on very challenging data in a variety of environmental conditions. By fusing these three modalities we obtained better performance than any individual or combination of two modalities. As it can be orientated towards the needs and capabilities of the user based on context, this method becomes useful for some ambient assisted living applications

Multiple multimodal mobile devices: Lessons learned from engineering lifelog solutions

For lifelogging, or the recording of one’s life history through digital means, to be successful, a range of separate multimodal mobile devices must be employed. These include smartphones such as the N95, the Microsoft SenseCam – a wearable passive photo capture device, or wearable biometric devices. Each collects a facet of the bigger picture, through, for example, personal digital photos, mobile messages and documents access history, but unfortunately, they operate independently and unaware of each other. This creates significant challenges for the practical application of these devices, the use and integration of their data and their operation by a user. In this chapter we discuss the software engineering challenges and their implications for individuals working on integration of data from multiple ubiquitous mobile devices drawing on our experiences working with such technology over the past several years for the development of integrated personal lifelogs. The chapter serves as an engineering guide to those considering working in the domain of lifelogging and more generally to those working with multiple multimodal devices and integration of their data

Narcissus to a Man: Lifelogging, Technology and the Normativity of Truth

The growth of the practice of lifelogging, exploiting the capabilities provided by the exponential increase in computer storage, and using technologies such as SenseCam as well as location-based services, Web 2.0, social networking and photo-sharing sites, has led to a growing sense of unease, articulated in books such as Mayer-Schönberger's Delete, that the semi-permanent storage of memories could lead to problematic social consequences. This talk examines the arguments against lifelogging and storage, and argues that they seem less worrying when placed in the context of a wider debate about the nature of mind and memory and their relationship to our environment and the technology we use

Innovation and Reduction in Contemporary Qualitative Methods: The Case of Conceptual Coupling, Activity-Type Pairs and Auto-Ethnography

During the course of this paper we mobilise an ideal typical framework that identifies three waves of reduction within contemporary qualitative inquiry as they relate to key aspects of the sociological tradition. The paper begins with a consideration of one of sociology\'s key questions; namely how is social organisation possible? The paper aims to demonstrate how this question moves from view as increased specialisation and differentiation in qualitative methodology within sociology and related disciplines results in a fragmentation and decontextualisation of social practices from social orders. Indeed, the extent to which qualitative methods have been detached from sociological principles is considered in relation to the emergence of a reductionist tendency. The paper argues that the first wave is typified by conceptual couplings such as \'discourse and the subject\', \'narrative and experience\', \'space and place\' and the second by \'activity type couplings\' such as \'walking and talking\' and \'making and telling\' and then, finally, the third wave exemplified through auto-ethnography and digital lifelogging. We argue each of these three waves represent a series of steps in qualitative reduction that, whilst representing innovation, need to reconnect with questions of action, order and social organisation as a complex whole as opposed to disparate parts.Social Order, Discourse, Narrative, Mobile Methods, Auto-Ethnography, Reflexivity, Innovation, Qualitative Methods

Understanding underutilisation: Methods for studying fruit and vegetable buying behaviours

This paper outlines research focused on understanding why people do or do not buy underutilised fruit and vegetables. This will inform the design of future interventions to promote more sustainable food related behaviour. A background to underutilised crops and food sustainability is provided. This is followed by an overview of the proposed method for capturing the entire purchasing and consumption experience using wearable cameras

Understanding food consumption lifecycles using wearable cameras

Application of design in HCI is a common approach to engendering behavioural change to address important challenges such as sustainability. Encouraging such change requires an understanding of current motivations and behaviours in the domain in question. In this paper, we describe use of wearable cameras to study motivations and behaviours around food consumption by focusing on two contrasting cultures, Malaysia and the UK. Our findings highlight the potential of wearable cameras to enhance knowledge of food consumption practices and identify where and how some digital interventions might be appropriate to change food behaviour. This includes appealing to people’s motivations behind food consumption and capitalising on existing practices such as gifting of food and social meals. We propose a food consumption lifecycle as a framework to understand and design human–food interaction. The use of wearable cameras enabled us to capture a high-level overview of spatially distributed food-related practices and understand food behaviours in greater depth.This work was co-funded by Horizon Digital Economy Research Institute, UK, and Crops for the Future, Malaysia.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00779-015-0871-

Understanding food consumption lifecycles using wearable cameras

Application of design in HCI is a common approach to engendering behavioural change to address important challenges such as sustainability. Encouraging such change requires an understanding of current motivations and behaviours in the domain in question. In this paper, we describe use of wearable cameras to study motivations and behaviours around food consumption by focusing on two contrasting cultures, Malaysia and the UK. Our findings highlight the potential of wearable cameras to enhance knowledge of food consumption practices and identify where and how some digital interventions might be appropriate to change food behaviour. This includes appealing to people’s motivations behind food consumption and capitalising on existing practices such as gifting of food and social meals. We propose a food consumption lifecycle as a framework to understand and design human–food interaction. The use of wearable cameras enabled us to capture a high-level overview of spatially distributed food-related practices and understand food behaviours in greater depth.This work was co-funded by Horizon Digital Economy Research Institute, UK, and Crops for the Future, Malaysia.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00779-015-0871-