CAMMInA: a mobile ambient information system to motivate elders to exercise

Several strategies have been identified for designing effective persuasive technology that encourages people to adopt healthy lifestyle habits. However, to implement these strategies for motivating elders to exercise, we need to take into account the elders’ particular characteristics, their needs, and the problems they face to exercise. This paper presents the results of a case study conducted to identify the factors that influence elders to maintain a regular exercise routine. These results enabled us to inform the design of an ambient information system, which by requiring minimal attention and cognitive effort from elders, makes them aware of relevant information that motivates them to exercise. To reach this end, the system implements the following strategies for persuading: abstraction, historical information and reflection, triggers for exercising, and positive and playful reinforcement. A system usability evaluation enabled us to validate these strategies for motivating elders.

[1]  Martijn H. Vastenburg,et al.  Flowie: A persuasive virtual coach to motivate elderly individuals to walk , 2009, 2009 3rd International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare.

[2]  K. Fox,et al.  Motivation for physical activity and weight management. , 1998, International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

[3]  Nilufar Baghaei,et al.  Physical activity motivating games: virtual rewards for real activity , 2010, CHI.

[4]  Antti Oulasvirta,et al.  Habits make smartphone use more pervasive , 2011, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing.

[5]  John Zimmerman,et al.  Breakaway: an ambient display designed to change human behavior , 2005, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[6]  Silvia Lindtner,et al.  Fish'n'Steps: Encouraging Physical Activity with an Interactive Computer Game , 2006, UbiComp.

[7]  Joe Tullio,et al.  Investigating the potential of in-home devices for improving medication adherence , 2009, 2009 3rd International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare.

[8]  Dan Morris,et al.  SuperBreak: using interactivity to enhance ergonomic typing breaks , 2008, CHI.

[9]  Jodi Forlizzi,et al.  Assistive Robotics and an Ecology of Elders Living Independently in Their Homes , 2004, Hum. Comput. Interact..

[10]  David W. McDonald,et al.  Activity sensing in the wild: a field trial of ubifit garden , 2008, CHI.

[11]  Jacob P. Somervell,et al.  A model for notification systems evaluation—assessing user goals for multitasking activity , 2003, TCHI.

[12]  David W. McDonald,et al.  Theory-driven design strategies for technologies that support behavior change in everyday life , 2009, CHI.

[13]  E. Phillips,et al.  Motivating elders to initiate and maintain exercise. , 2004, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

[14]  HoltzblattKaren,et al.  Rapid Contextual Design , 2005 .

[15]  John T. Stasko,et al.  A taxonomy of ambient information systems: four patterns of design , 2006, AVI '06.

[16]  Tara Matthews,et al.  A toolkit for managing user attention in peripheral displays , 2004, UIST '04.

[17]  A F Kramer,et al.  Social relations, physical activity, and well-being in older adults. , 2000, Preventive medicine.

[18]  Eduardo Gasca,et al.  Assisting Support Groups of Patients with Chronic Diseases through Persuasive Computing , 2009, J. Univers. Comput. Sci..

[19]  Sandra O'brien Cousins,et al.  Social support for exercise among elderly women in Canada , 1995 .

[20]  B. J. Fogg,et al.  A behavior model for persuasive design , 2009, Persuasive '09.