Katie A. Siek

Fat finger worries: how older and younger users physically interact with PDAs

There has been a steady growth in the global population of elderly people, challenging researchers in the HCI community to design technologies to help them remain independent and preserve their quality of life. One approach has been to create assistive technology solutions using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). However, some have questioned whether older people can use PDAs because of age related problems with dexterity, coordination, and vision. This paper presents an initial usability study that shows there are no major differences in performance between older and younger users when physically interacting with PDAs and completing conventional (e.g. pressing buttons, viewing icons, recording messages) and non-conventional tasks (e.g. scanning bar codes).

When Do We Eat? An Evaluation of Food Items Input into an Electronic Food Monitoring Application

We present a formative study that examines what, when, and how participants in a chronic kidney disease (stage 5) population input food items into an electronic intake monitoring application. Participants scanned food item barcodes or voice recorded food items they consumed during a three week period. The results indicated that a learning curve was associated with barcode scanning; participants with low literacy skills had difficulty describing food items in voice recordings; and participants input food items depending on when they had dialysis treatment. Participants thought this electronic self monitoring application would be helpful for chronically ill populations in their first year of treatment

Mobile interface design for low-literacy populations

Despite the proliferation of mobile health applications, few target low literacy users. This is a matter of concern because 43% of the United States population is functionally illiterate. To empower everyone to be a full participant in the evolving health system and prevent further disparities, we must understand the design needs of low literacy populations. In this paper, we present two complementary studies of four graphical user interface (GUI) widgets and three different cross-page navigation styles in mobile applications with a varying literacy, chronically-ill population. Participants navigation and interaction styles were documented while they performed search tasks using high fidelity prototypes running on a mobile device. Results indicate that participants could use any non-text based GUI widgets. For navigation structures, users performed best when navigating a linear structure, but preferred the features of cross-linked navigation. Based on these findings, we provide some recommendations for designing accessible mobile applications for varying-literacy populations.

Evaluating Pervasive and Ubiquitous Systems

Recognized evaluation strategies are essential to systematically advance a research fields state of the art. Pervasive and ubiquitous computing need such strategies to mature as a discipline and to enable researchers to objectively assess and compare new techniques contributions. Researchers have shown that evaluating ubiquitous systems can be difficult, so approaches tend to be subjective, piecemeal, or both. To ensure that the validity and usability of proposed systems wont be compromised, researchers must reach consensus on a set of standard evaluation methods for ubiquitous systems. Otherwise, methods for scientifically testing and presenting state-of-the-art advances will remain unclear. In this article, the organizers from four different workshop series, each focused on this topic, summarize and discuss the main outcomes of these events.

Mobile applications that empower people to monitor their personal health.

Researchers have an opportunity to develop assistive applications that empower people to change unhealthy habits through monitoring their behavior. Mobile applications can enhance self-monitoring by providing real-time feedback and employing persuasive technology. The projects presented demonstrate the potential of persuasive, assistive applications for both chronically ill and healthy individuals.Mobile Geräte durchdringen zunehmend alle Lebensbereiche. Daher haben Forscher die Möglichkeit, assistierende Anwendungen zu entwickeln, die Normalverbrauchern erlauben, ihre gesundheitsspezifischen Daten im Alltag zu verfolgen. Traditionelle handschriftliche Methoden mit Zettel und Stift können durch mobile Geräte ersetzt werden. In diesem Artikel beschreiben die Autoren zwei Anwendungen, die sowohl Gesunde als auch Kranke unterstützen.

An offline mobile nutrition monitoring intervention for varying-literacy patients receiving hemodialysis: a pilot study examining usage and usability

OBJECTIVEnDesign and evaluation of the dietary intake monitoring application (DIMA) to assist varying-literacy patients receiving hemodialysis to adhere to their prescribed dietary regimen.nnnMETHODSnAn iterative, user-centered design process informed by Banduras social cognitive theory was employed to design DIMA--a mobile application that utilizes touch-screen, visual interfaces; barcode scanning; and voice recording to assist varying-literacy patients receiving hemodialysis to self-monitor their diet. A pilot field study was conducted where 18 patients receiving hemodialysis were recruited face-to-face from two dialysis facilities to use DIMA for 6 weeks. Subjects recorded their dietary intake using DIMA and met with research assistants three times each week. All interactions with DIMA were logged. Subjects interdialytic weight gain was recorded throughout the study. At the end of the study, two face-to-face questionnaires were administered to assess usability and context of use.nnnRESULTSnSubjects were able to use DIMA successfully--12 subjects used DIMA as much or more at the end of the study as they did at the beginning and reported that DIMA helped them change their diet. Subjects had difficulty using the barcode scanner. Viewing past meals was the most used of the reflection mechanisms in DIMA.nnnCONCLUSIONnResults suggest that while many design features were useful, some could be improved. In particular, future versions of DIMA will be on a smartphone using a camera for barcode scanning, integrate feedback and past meal reflection into the normal flow of the application, and support visual cues when selecting food items.

Persuasion not required Improving our understanding of the sociotechnical context of dietary behavioural change

In view of the well-acknowledged inequalities in health between the rich and the poor, populations of low socioeconomic status stand to benefit most from advances in technology designed to promote health- related behavioural change. In this paper we investigate attitudes towards diet and the perceived barriers to making positive changes from the perspective of the primary caregivers of seventeen families with low socioeconomic status. Participants were aware of the weaknesses their familys dietary habits and were motivated to make changes, but lacked financial, strategic, and social resources needed to do so. Based on our analysis, the current trend of raising awareness and motivation to change does not appear to address the needs of this population. We call for research to investigate systems that address existing gaps in health-related communication and empower people to take practical steps towards achieving realistic goals; matching any attempt to motivate change with an attempt to facilitate change.

Pride and prejudice: learning how chronically ill people think about food

In this paper, we describe a formative study to learn how one chronically ill population thinks about food, mentally organizes food, and interprets consumption-level icons. We found that many participants let their pride influence their choices, resulting in preferred interfaces that they could not accurately interpret. The results indicate that participants organized food in similar ways, had difficulty reading from their preferred consumption-level icons, and wanted to combine multiple interface designs when searching for food.

Beyond quantified self: data for wellbeing

Sustaining our health and wellbeing requires lifelong efforts for prevention and healthy living. Continuously observing ourselves is one of the fundamental measures to be taken. While many devices support monitoring and quantifying our health behavior and health state, they all are facing the same trade-off: the higher the data quality is the higher are the efforts of data acquisition. However, for lifelong use, minimizing efforts for the user is crucial. Nowadays, few devices find a good balance between cost and value. In this interdisciplinary workshop we discuss how this trade-off can be approached by addressing three topics: understanding the users information needs, exploring options for data acquisition, and discussing potential designs for life-long use.

Merging health literacy with computer technology: Self-managing diet and fluid intake among adult hemodialysis patients

OBJECTIVEnThe Dietary Intake Monitoring Application (DIMA) is an electronic dietary self-monitor developed for use on a personal digital assistant (PDA). This paper describes how computer, information, numerical, and visual literacy were considered in development of DIMA.nnnMETHODSnAn iterative, participatory design approach was used. Forty individuals receiving hemodialysis at an urban inner-city facility, primarily middle-aged and African American, were recruited.nnnRESULTSnComputer literacy was considered by assessing abilities to complete traditional/nontraditional PDA tasks. Information literacy was enhanced by including a Universal-Product-Code (UPC) scanner, picture icons for food with no UPC code, voice recorder, and culturally sensitive food icons. Numerical literacy was enhanced by designing DIMA to compute real-time totals that allowed individuals to see their consumption relative to their dietary prescription. Visual literacy was considered by designing the graphical interface to convey intake data over a 24-h period that could be accurately interpreted by patients. Pictorial icons for feedback graphs used objects understood by patients.nnnPRACTICE IMPLICATIONSnPreliminary data indicate the application is extremely helpful for individuals as they self-monitor their intake. If desired, DIMA could also be used for dietary counseling.