Assessing the Usability of a Wearable Computer Interface with Split Button Configuration

A wearable computer interface with split button configuration was constructed using Arduino Lilypad components on the front of a vest with the goal of assessing its usability in an activity involving at least one hand. A sample of twelve men and eight women ages 18 to 62 participated in a usability study of the vest. The activity chosen for this study was a typing test during which users would control a media player remotely with the vest. The usability measures included ease of use, performance of the interface as determined by accuracy rates and time to task completion for both button pressing and the typing test, and comfort. Results indicate the participants found the vest easy to learn and use with no significant effect on the accuracy of the typing activity, but they often needed visual cues to locate the controls. Based on these findings, we offer suggestions for improving the design of the interface and future work we want to pursue after the modifications

Survey on virtual coaching for older adults

Virtual coaching has emerged as a promising solution to extend independent living for older adults. A virtual coach system is an always-attentive personalized system that continuously monitors user's activity and surroundings and delivers interventions - that is, intentional messages - in the appropriate moment. This article presents a survey of different approaches in virtual coaching for older adults, from the less technically supported tools to the latest developments and future avenues for research. It focuses on the technical aspects, especially on software architectures, user interaction and coaching personalization. Nevertheless, some aspects from the fields of personality/social psychology are also presented in the context of coaching strategies. Coaching is considered holistically, including matters such as physical and cognitive training, nutrition, social interaction and mood.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 769830

DEVELOPMENT OF A WEARABLE PRESSURE BANDAGE SYSTEM FOR SCORPION STING

This paper presents a wearable pressure bandage system (ScorpioBand) to discourage unsafe first aid practices by scorpion sting victims. A pressure bandage is utilized to apply pressure over the entire surface around the sting point to reduce the likelihood of scorpion envenomation and pressure transducers were used to acquire bandage pressure signals. A Flexiforce pressure sensor interfaced with a PIC16F873A microcontroller based embedded device are the core components of the wearable system. A real-time simulation using myRIO embedded device and LabVIEW software was used to design the developed system. The developed ScorpioBand prototype was implemented as a waistband and it triggers a visual signal when a safe pressure limit is exceeded during application of the pressure bandage. The performance of the developed system was evaluated experimentally and an average bandage pressure of 48.96 mmHg was achieved with three layers of the bandage in 90% of the trial cases conducted by first-time users. The implication of the results is that inexperienced users in rural communities can apply the developed wearable bandage system to achieve the required bandage pressure for scorpion sting

A context-aware system architecture to assist workout plans

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia InformáticaThis thesis has the aim to correlate context awareness and physical workout. Nowadays the body’s health is a true concern to most of the people and working out is one of the ways to go in order to improve health in general. Although, the lack of knowledge can lead to unwanted endings such as contracting an injury. The aim of this work is to develop a Context-Aware (CA) architecture that intends to help the user with the workout according to the context that person is inserted in. Accelerometer data, air temperature and humidity are collected in order to infer the context. This work compares three different algorithms, Support Vector Machine (SVM), k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) and Random Forest (RF) for the recognition of the activity. From those three, SVM was the algorithm that presented a better performance overall, since it presented better accuracy, precision and recall. Therefore, it is used to recognise activities and give the suggestions about the way that activity is being executed. The system was validated and tested getting an overall accuracy of 96.4% with the SVM algorithm. The activities Standing Still, Walking and Running presented a precision of about 99%. While the Squat, got a precision of about 74% and the Wrong Squat a precision of 61%. Moreover, since data for the activity Running was collected through a simulation, a test using real life data for Running was made in order to validate the training with simulation generated data. A precision of about 94% was achieved with the SVM algorithm.Esta tese tem o objetivo de relacionar context awareness e exercício físico. Hoje em dia a saúde representa uma verdadeira preocupação para a maior parte das pessoas, e o exercí cio físico é o caminho a seguir quando o indivíduo quer melhorar a sua saúde no geral. Contudo, quando o conhecimento não é suficiente, a prática de exercício pode facilmente causar algum dano irreversível no nosso corpo. Como tal o objetivo é criar uma arquitetura CA que ajude o utilizador com o seu plano de exercício físico de acordo com o contexto que o rodeia. Os dados recolhidos para inferir o contexto do utilizador são acelerometro, temperatura ambiente e humidade relativa. Três algoritmos são comparados neste trabalho, SVM, k-NN e RF e o algoritmo que apresentou melhor performance, SVM, foi o escolhido para o sistema final. Uma vez que apresentou melhor accuracy, precision e recall. Este algoritmo é utilizado para reconhecer atividades e dar sugestões ao utilizador baseado na forma como essas atividades estão a ser feitas. O sistema desenvolvido obteve uma eficácia geral de 96.4% com o algoritmo SVM. As atividades Parado, Andar e Correr obtiveram uma precisão de cerca de 99%. Enquanto que o Agachamento obteve uma precisão de cerca de 74% e o Agachamento Errado uma precisão de cerca de 61%. Para além disso, um teste, com dados reais da atividade Correr, foi efetuado com o objetivo de validar o sistema, uma vez que este foi treinado, para esta atividade em específico, com dados gerados por uma simulação. Uma precisão de cerca de 94% foi atingida com o algoritmo SVM

Determinants of Users Intention to Adopt Mobile Fitness Applications: an Extended Technology Acceptance Model Approach

The present research was motivated by the recognition that the use of mobile fitness applications (MFA) is increasingly popular among sports and exercise participants in recent years. Using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) perspective, this study explored potential predictors of behavioral intention toward MFAs such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, personalization, personal innovativeness in information technology (PIIT), perceived enjoyment, mobile application self-efficacy, involvement in sports and exercise participation, and social influences (interpersonal and external influences). A theoretical model was developed and tested against the empirical data collected from 385 collegiate students enrolled in physical activity classes at a large university in the United States. The result of descriptive statistics indicated that the samples are active sports and exercise participants with their weekly exercise and sports participation of 5.41 hours. A measurement model and structural equation model were tested using AMOS 22.0 and confirmed eight out of eleven hypothesized relationships. In particular, personalization and PIIT were found to have significant effects on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, which in turn, affected behavioral intention toward using MFAs. Interpersonal influence and involvement in sports and exercise participation were also found to have significant effects on intention whereas no significant effects of mobile application self-efficacy, perceived enjoyment, and external influence were observed. The analyses demonstrated that perceived usefulness was the most powerful determinants of behavioral intention followed by interpersonal influence in terms of the path coefficient values. The construct of PIIT and personalization accounted for 43.4% variances in perceived ease of use and 48.9% variances in perceived usefulness variance. All the constructs within the structural model except external influence, perceived enjoyment, and mobile application self-efficacy, collectively explained the 75.1 % variances in intention to use MFAs, suggesting that the examined model has a strong explanatory power regarding MFA users decision making process.\u2

The few touch digital diabetes diary : user-involved design of mobile self-help tools for peoplewith diabetes

Paper number 2, 4, 5 and 7 are not available in Munin, due to publishers' restrictions: 2. Årsand E, and Demiris G.: "User-Centered Methods for Designing Patient-Centric Self-Help Tools", Informatics for Health and Social Care, 2008 Vol. 33, No. 3, Pages 158-169 (Informa Healthcare). Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17538150802457562 4. Årsand E, Olsen OA, Varmedal R, Mortensen W, and Hartvigsen G.: "A System for Monitoring Physical Activity Data Among People with Type 2 Diabetes", pages 173-178 in S.K. Andersen, et.al. (eds.) "eHealth Beyond the Horizon - Get IT There", Proceedings of MIE2008, Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, Volume 136, May 2008, ISBN: 978-1-58603-864-9 5. Årsand E, Tufano JT, Ralston J, and Hjortdahl P.: "Designing Mobile Dietary Management Support Technologies for People with Diabetes", Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2008 Volume 14, Number 7, Pp. 329-332 (Royal Society of Medicine Press). Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/jtt.2008.007001 7. Årsand E, Walseth OA, Andersson N, Fernando R, Granberg O, Bellika JG, and Hartvigsen G.: "Using Blood Glucose Data as an Indicator for Epidemic Disease Outbreaks", pages 199-204 in R. Engelbrecht et.al. (eds.): "Connecting Medical Informatics and Bio-Informatics", Proceedings of MIE2005, Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, Volume 116, August 2005, ISBN: 978-1-58603-549-5. Check availabilityParadoxically, the technological revolution that has created a vast health problem due to a drastic change in lifestyle also holds great potential for individuals to take better care of their own health. The first consequence is not addressed in this dissertation, but the second represents the focus of the work presented, namely utilizing ICT to support self-management of individual health challenges. As long as only 35% of the patients in Norway achieve the International Diabetes Federation‟s goal for blood glucose (HbA1c), actions and activities to improve blood glucose control and related factors are needed. The presented work focuses on the development and integration of alternative sensor systems for blood glucose and physical activity, and a fast and effortless method for recording food habits. Various user-interface concepts running on a mobile terminal constitute a digital diabetes diary, and the total concept is referred to as the “Few Touch application”. The overall aim of this PhD project is to generate knowledge about how a mobile tool can be designed for supporting lifestyle changes among people with diabetes. Applying technologies and methods from the informatics field has contributed to improved insight into this issue. Conversely, addressing the concrete use cases for people with diabetes has resulted in the achievement of ICT designs that have been appreciated by the cohorts involved. Cooperation with three different groups of patients with diabetes over several years and various methods and theories founded in computer science, medical informatics, and telemedicine have been combined in design and research on patient-oriented aids. The blood glucose Bluetooth adapter, the step counter, and the nutrition habit registration system that have been developed were all novel and to my knowledge unique designs at the time they were first tested, and this still applies to the latter two. Whether it can be claimed that the total concept presented, the Few Touch application, will increase quality of life, is up to future research and large-scale tests of the system to answer. However, results from the Type 2 diabetes half-year study showed that several of the participants did adjust their medication, food habits and/or physical activity due to use of the application

Ontology-based personalized performance evaluation and dietary recommendation for weightlifting.

Studies in weightlifting have been characterized by unclear results and information paucity, mainly due to the lack of information sharing between athletes, coaches, biomechanists, physiologists and nutritionists. Becoming successful in weightlifting performance requires a unique physiological and biomechanics profile based on a distinctive combination of muscular strength, muscular power, flexibility, and lifting technique. An effective training which is carefully designed and monitored, is needed for accomplishment of consistent high performance. While it takes years of dedicated training, diet is also critical as optimal nutrition is essential for peak performance. Nutritional misinformation can do as much harm to ambitious athletes as good nutrition can help. In spite of several studies on nutrition guidelines for weightlifting training and competition as well as on design and implementation of weightlifting training programs, to the best of authors' knowledge, there is no attempt to semantically model the whole "training-diet-competition" cycle by integrating training, biomechanics, and nutrition domains.This study aims to conceive and design an ontology-enriched knowledge model to guide and support the implementation of "Recommender system of workout and nutrition forweightlifters". In doing so, it will propose: (i) understanding the weightlifting training system, from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, following a modular ontology modeling, (ii) understanding the weightlifting diet following a modular ontology modeling, (iii) semantically integrating weightlifting and nutrition ontologies to mainly promote nutrition and weightlifting snatch exercises interoperability, (iv) extending modular ontology scope by mining rules while analyzing open data from the literature, and (v) devising reasoning capability toward an automated weightlifting "training-diet-competition" cycle supported by previously mined rulesTo support the above claims, two main artefacts were generated such as: (i) a weightliftingnutritional knowledge questionnaire to assess Thai weightlifting coaches' and athletes'knowledge regarding the weightlifting "training-diet-competition" cycle and (ii) a dual ontologyoriented weightlifting-nutrition knowledge model extended with mined rules and designed following a standard ontology development methodology.Studies in weightlifting have been characterized by unclear results and information paucity, mainly due to the lack of information sharing between athletes, coaches, biomechanists, physiologists and nutritionists. Becoming successful in weightlifting performance requires a unique physiological and biomechanics profile based on a distinctive combination of muscular strength, muscular power, flexibility, and lifting technique. An effective training which is carefully designed and monitored, is needed for accomplishment of consistent high performance. While it takes years of dedicated training, diet is also critical as optimal nutrition is essential for peak performance. Nutritional misinformation can do as much harm to ambitious athletes as good nutrition can help. In spite of several studies on nutrition guidelines for weightlifting training and competition as well as on design and implementation of weightlifting training programs, to the best of authors' knowledge, there is no attempt to semantically model the whole "training-diet-competition" cycle by integrating training, biomechanics, and nutrition domains.This study aims to conceive and design an ontology-enriched knowledge model to guide and support the implementation of "Recommender system of workout and nutrition forweightlifters". In doing so, it will propose: (i) understanding the weightlifting training system, from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, following a modular ontology modeling, (ii) understanding the weightlifting diet following a modular ontology modeling, (iii) semantically integrating weightlifting and nutrition ontologies to mainly promote nutrition and weightlifting snatch exercises interoperability, (iv) extending modular ontology scope by mining rules while analyzing open data from the literature, and (v) devising reasoning capability toward an automated weightlifting "training-diet-competition" cycle supported by previously mined rulesTo support the above claims, two main artefacts were generated such as: (i) a weightliftingnutritional knowledge questionnaire to assess Thai weightlifting coaches' and athletes'knowledge regarding the weightlifting "training-diet-competition" cycle and (ii) a dual ontologyoriented weightlifting-nutrition knowledge model extended with mined rules and designed following a standard ontology development methodology

Design methodologies for smart textile products in the field of sport

Tese de doutoramento em Design de ModaApesar das fortes implicações no campo interdisciplinar da interação humano-computador (HCI), tem havido um movimento para que a roupa desportiva acolha no seu design inúmeras inovações, tanto nas tecnologias eletrónicas, como nos materiais e acabamentos. Posicionando-se audaciosamente entre o design de moda e os dispositivos vestíveis, estas roupas discorrem entre as tecnologias da informação e comunicação (ICT) e as plataformas da internet das coisas (IoT), trazendo benefícios e funcionalidades, consequentemente novas características de interação entre a roupa e o utilizador. Nesse contexto, e no âmbito das atividades do projeto TSSIPRO – Technologies for Sustainable and Smart Innovative Products, obteve-se o desenvolvimento de conhecimento através de dois estudos de caso, tendo cada um destes sido acompanhado por um método. O estudo “Smartsuit”, que foi orientado pelo método Duplo Diamante, teve como foco o ciclismo. Corresponde a um contacto introdutório e multidisciplinar ao processo de design de vestuário inteligente para o desporto. Permitiu através da experiência empírica, experimental, pessoal do autor, o design e a prototipagem de um skinsuit com elétrodos integrados capazes de monitorizar a frequência cardíaca por eletrocardiografia (ECG). O estudo “Avantgarde” foi orientado pelo método Design Centrado no Utilizador, e teve como foco a esgrima. Corresponde já a uma maturação da temática e identifica os requisitos do utilizador. Permitiu através da experiência conceptual, teórica, metódica e organizada do autor, a conceptualização de um uniforme inteligente com sensor de pressão piezoresistivo flexível integrado no têxtil capaz de capturar o desempenho do toque da arma, facilitando a arbitragem e pontuação do jogo. Dispõe ainda de sensores inerciais (IMU) acoplados no têxteis capazes de capturar e rastrear os movimentos do atleta através da transposição do movimento para um modelo digital. Aqui, foi possível, a seleção e avaliação das tecnologias vestíveis através da agnição de dados quantitativos e qualitativos fornecidos pelos utilizadores. Esta tese contribui para o crescente corpo de pesquisa sobre o uso de computadores vestíveis para a atividade desportiva. Através do utilizador enfatiza-se inovação, usabilidade e design. Mais especificamente, valida o interesse de atletas e treinadores de esgrima, por tecnologias com sensores de pressão e inerciais. Ao nível do processo de design possibilitou investigar e avaliar através de dois modelos destintos e, portanto, identificar as suas diferenças e limitações.Despite the substantial implications in the interdisciplinary field of human-computer interaction (HCI), there has been a movement for sportswear to embrace numerous innovations in its design, both in electronic technologies and in materials and functionalisation. Audaciously situated between fashion design and wearable devices, these clothes roam between information and communications technology (ICT) and the internet of things (IoT) platforms, bringing benefits and functionalities, consequently new features of interaction between clothing and the user. In this context, and within the scope of the activities of the TSSIPRO – Technologies for Sustainable and Smart Innovative Products, the development of knowledge was obtained through two case studies, each of which was accompanied by a method. The “Smartsuit” study, which was guided by the Double Diamond method, focused on cycling. It corresponds to an introductory and multidisciplinary contact to the process of designing smart garments for sport. Through the author's empirical, experimental, personal experience, it allowed the design and prototyping of a skinsuit with embedded electrodes capable of monitoring heart rate by electrocardiogram (ECG). The “Avantgarde” study was guided by the User- Centered Design method and focused on fencing. It corresponds to a maturation of the theme and identifies the user's requirements. It allowed, through the author's conceptual, theoretical, methodical, and organized experience, the conceptualization of a smart uniform with a flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor integrated into the textile capable of capturing the performance of the weapon's touch, facilitating the refereeing, and scoring of the game. It also features with inertial sensors (IMU) coupled to the textiles capable of capturing and tracking the athlete’s movements by transposing the movement to a digital model. Here, it was possible to select and evaluate the wearable technologies through the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data provided by users. This thesis contributes to the growing body of research on the use of wearable computers for sports activities. Through the user, innovation, usability, and design are emphasized. More specifically, it validates the interest of athletes and fencing coaches in pressure and inertial sensor technologies. At the level of the design process, it made possible to investigate and evaluate through two distinct models and, therefore, identify their differences and limitations.TSSIPRO - bolsa de investigação UMINHO/BI/123/201