Katharina Schäfer

Age-related usability investigation of an activity tracker

Activity trackers, measuring motion and steps, enable users to monitor their behaviour and may support a healthier lifestyle. To gain more detailed insight into initial and long-term use, a two-phase explorative study with two age groups (young/old) was conducted. The age of the younger group ranged from 19 to 30 years and of the older group from 60 to 78 years. In total, N = 30 participants (15 younger/15 older) took part in the first phase of the study. This phase lasted 4 weeks and provided in-depth information on usability as measured by the post-study system usability questionnaire (PSSUQ), on motivation, as measured by a seven-point Likert scale and on subjective mental effort during the initial contact, as measured by the rating scale of mental effort (RSME). N = 8 participants (4 younger/4 older) out of the original 30 decided to participate in a second phase, which lasted 6 months and was designed to observe long-term use of an activity tracker. The results show that the activity trackers usability is generally suitable for both age groups. All participants were able to use the activity tracker independently without any special training or instructions from the principal investigator. Further, this study revealed that length of use of an activity tracker is independent of technology affinity and perceived usability. It decreases over time depending on the users knowledge about his or her physical activity. Finally, indication for age-related differences in the requirements and key functions of an activity tracker were found.

Home Use Devices and SaMDs in Patient Self-Care: Concept to Develop Excellenct Products in Digital Health

The German healthcare system is characterized by digital change. In recent years, a trend towards the entry of start-ups and medium-sized enterprises into this sector has developed. These types of companies in particular are facing enormous challenges due to the industry and the ongoing digital change. This article presents the fundamental developments and challenges of these companies. Further solutions developed by the Tech4Age research group are presented briefly. Finally, this article describes how these solutions can be integrated into a formal concept for the promotion and further development of SMEs and start-ups in the German health industry in order to enable them quickly and comprehensively for the development of excellent digital health products.

Shaping Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of the Digital Revolution Through Participation: The New Interdisciplinary Research Paradigm of Aachener DenkfabrEthik

The digital era is bringing fundamental transformations to all areas of society. The penetration of everyone’s professional and private lives with modern information and communication technology is constantly increasing. However, the developers responsible for this transformation are currently often oriented too heavily towards what can be accomplished technically, what is economically promising or politically desirable and not primarily towards the requirements of the future users.

What Do You Need to Know to Stay Healthy? – Health Information Needs and Seeking Behaviour of Older Adults in Germany

Deep understanding of users’ needs is crucial for developing successful digital health technology. At the beginning of system development, it is thus important to analyze and specify the context of use within the users-centered development process. Knowing what patients need to know about their health and which information sources they apply to find those, bears implications for personal health ICT conveying health information to the elderly patient. Present results from a survey on health information need and seeking behaviour of N = 551 older adults in Germany suggest that older adults are fairly satisfied with the information they get, indicating a low need to acquire health information. Higher health information need corresponds with a larger amount of health apps installed on older adults tablet PC and with the usage of smartwatches and apps in general. Finally, results support the theoretical influence of demographic variables. Here, educational attainment significantly revealed to be a main influence on information need.

Pokémon Go – an Empirical User Experience Study

Pokemon Go™ is an augmented reality game for iOS™ and Android™ released in July 2016. It is one of the most played augmented reality exergames in 2016. News programs all over the world reported about the high level of physical activity of people playing Pokemon Go™. Further medical and public health communities discussed the potential of this mobile game due to its potential influence on higher levels of sustainable physical activity for health benefits. We present results of an empirical study conducted 14 weeks after the official release of Pokemon Go™ in Germany. We investigated the effect of augmented reality on initial contact and user behavior within this augmented reality exergame. Participants were therefore divided in three groups (active, former and non-gamers) based on personal statement. The results present insights into the initial contact, experienced critical situations and user behavior including use of augmented reality and in-app purchases.