Elderly healthcare monitoring using an avatar-based 3D virtual environment.

Homecare systems for elderly people are becoming increasingly important due to both economic reasons as well as patients' preferences. Sensor-based surveillance technologies are an expected future trend, but research so far has devoted little attention to the User Interface (UI) design of such systems and the user-centric design approach. In this paper, we explore the possibilities of an avatar-based 3D visualization system, which exploits wearable sensors and human activity simulations. We present a technical prototype and the evaluation of alternative concept designs for UIs based on a 3D virtual world. The evaluation was conducted with homecare providers through focus groups and an online survey. Our results show firstly that systems taking advantage of 3D virtual world visualization techniques have potential especially due to the privacy preserving and simplified information presentation style, and secondly that simple representations and glancability should be emphasized in the design. The identified key use cases highlight that avatar-based 3D presentations can be helpful if they provide an overview as well as details on demand.

Using heart rate monitors for personal wellness--the user experience perspective.

In this paper, we present a user study of the heart rate monitors (HRM), which is a commonly used personal wellness technology. HRMs have been used over several years for adjusting the exercise level and in the advanced form, also for measuring the users' fitness level and its progress. The user study included interviews with the HRM users and a survey with over 860 active or former users. We identified four different types of HRM users based on the current usage activity and their perceived progress of usage motivation within time, and compared their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses related to HRMs. The findings provide valuable information for understanding the end-user needs and background knowledge for developing personal wellness technologies and applications further.