Human-Centered Design, Operation and Evaluation of Mobile Communications

This paper aims to assess the impact of a serious hybrid game on nutrition literacy and the promotion of food neophilia and, consequently, the diversification of children’s food choices from 10 to 12 years old. FlavourGame is a serious hybrid game that combines a digital component (based on a mobile application, which helps players during the game, acting as an assistant that guides the game’s tasks) with a board game. Real foods with their flavors, aromas, and textures were introduced as props to the players during the game. Nutrition messages were also included in the initial cutscene (mobile application) and in the Curiosity’s Cards about food and nutrition.

The intervention group involved two different groups of children, in total 19 participants, from 10 to 12 years old, tested the FlavourGame. Sociodemographic information, eating habits, and food neophobia data were collected. A 12-question nutrition quiz was also administered at the beginning and at the end of the game session to evaluate the game’s impact on nutrition knowledge. A control intervention involving 26 children (6–12 years old) was conducted.

The results suggested that Flavourgame could be used as a strategy to address and overcome children’s fear or aversion to new foods and encourage them to try a variety of foods. Regarding nutrition knowledge acquisition, FlavourGame did not show a great performance, but if children continue playing (as expected in a game) the contact with nutrition facts and messages will persist, and, certainly, the knowledge acquisition will improve.

In monitoring individual health, wearable technologies, especially wrist-worn wearable devices, play a crucial role by actively collecting and displaying fundamental wellness-related data such as steps, calories, skin temperature, heart rate, and sleep patterns. Promoting their widespread acceptance is key for improving overall well-being, benefiting both individuals and society. Employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Model of PC Utilization (MPCU), and the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), this paper introduces a novel research model that identifies functional determinants (perceived usefulness, perceived value), social determinants (brand name, social image, perceived prestige), and privacy-related factors (health information sensitivity, perceived privacy risk) influencing the adoption of wrist-worn wearable devices. The study utilizes a survey on end users for data collection, and Structural Equation Modeling is employed to analyze significant factors affecting adoption. The findings reveal that functional aspects significantly impact adoption, particularly when supported by social elements. Privacy considerations emerge as a crucial factor influencing adoption. This research contributes to the field by expanding the spectrum of factors influencing the adoption of wrist-worn wearable devices beyond mere functionality and offers managerial and societal implications.

The demand for online health consultations has exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, electronic word-of-mouth is essential to obtaining information and reducing uncertainty for potential customers on mobile health platform. Based on an internet-based survey of 552 people from Zhejiang Province, China, this study investigated the influencing factors of electronic word-of-mouth on mobile health applications. The research model and related hypotheses were verified by linear regression models. We found that electronic word-of-mouth was influenced by electronic health literacy, perceived usefulness, the preference for positive comments, and the preference for physicians with advanced titles. Perceived usefulness partly mediated the relationship between electronic health literacy and electronic word-of-mouth. Furthermore, the preference for consulting physicians with more advanced titles and backgrounds positively moderated the relationship between electronic health literacy and electronic word-of-mouth. The empirical results offer insights on whether and how mobile health service platforms could serve patients better in the digital era.

Exercise games have shown significant potential in promoting physical activities, especially in encouraging the youth demographic to engage in sports. Despite this, research on promoting adolescent exercise through game science remains limited. This study, grounded in scientific exercise theory - interval training, designed and developed an exercise game tailored for adolescents. The game was deployed on the widely-used WeChat Mini Program platform, utilizing smartphone cameras to enable direct game control through physical movements. The effectiveness of this game was tested and evaluated through both online and offline methods. The offline tests primarily recorded participants’ heart rate data and physical activity perception scales, while the online tests collected data on user visit times, gameplay duration, and scores. The results indicate that the game provides a moderate-intensity exercise effect, similar to traditional training methods, but with enhanced enjoyment and a sense of achievement. These findings offer robust support for promoting youth physical activities through game science, demonstrating the considerable potential of exercise games in health promotion.

Smoking remains a critical global health issue, with significant mortality and economic costs. Traditional cessation methods, though effective, face challenges in accessibility and scalability, highlighting the potential of mobile health (mHealth) applications. However, many existing mHealth apps for smoking cessation underperform when compared to established methods, theorised to be caused by the high attrition rates due to their low levels of personalization and a general lack of proven theoretical underpinning for feature selection. This study aims to enhance smoking cessation mHealth app design by incorporating expert insights from the field.

Engaging with licensed smoking cessation experts in Flanders, Belgium, we conducted in-depth interviews to gather their views on essential app features and design principles. The experts emphasized the need for features regarding personalization, goal-setting, and user-friendly interfaces among others. Their recommendations aligned with established behaviour change theories such as Self-Determination Theory, Goal-Setting Theory, and Human-Computer Interaction principles such as Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics, underscoring the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in mHealth app development.

Our findings present a list of categorised design requirements critical for developing effective and engaging smoking cessation apps. By integrating expert knowledge and behavioural theory, this research offers a foundation for developing more effective, user-centric mHealth solutions, advancing the fight against the global smoking epidemic. This study helps close the gap between the current shortcomings of mHealth application and their potential to provide accessible and cost-effective healthcare to broad audiences around the globe.

The prevalence of mental health issues throughout the world is alarmingly high, and it has only increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this truth, there continues to be a large gap between the demand for mental healthcare and the actual provision of such services. However, the rapidly expanding digital world offers a solution to this discrepancy: AI-driven mental health mobile applications. With the development of these apps, millions of patients are benefiting from the availability and affordability of many services, including but not limited to mood trackers, accurate diagnoses, assessment tools, frequent reminders, useful resources, and community building opportunities. Nevertheless, AI-driven mobile apps have their disadvantages. For instance, these apps have raised concerns regarding low patient engagement, lack of privacy and security, little evidence to support effectiveness, as well as inability to mimic human emotions. To assess the uses of mental health mobile applications, we analyzed 15 different apps, of which 5 involved AI. Through this analysis, we aim to discover patterns and inadequacies in the approaches and focuses of mental health apps. This way, we will be able to explain the opportunities and challenges of mental health apps while simultaneously offering suggestions that will help fill the mental health care gap.

Establish a demand index system for children’s asthma product service systems to provide theoretical basis and guidance for the design of children’s asthma machines, ensure that the design practice plan meets the basic needs of target users and improve the user experience. The Affinity Diagram (KJ) method was used to screen and organize the needs of target users, and the functional requirements of 26 children’s asthma product service systems were obtained through literature research, user interviews, etc., and the Analytical Hierarchy Process was used to conduct forward and reverse analysis of the obtained functional requirements. In accordance with the questionnaire, the comprehensive weight values are derived, and subsequently, a consistency test is conducted to ascertain the design elements of the product. Combining research conclusions and design practice, a children’s asthma machine product system was designed from the aspects of intelligent software, interesting shape, comfortable use, and visual screen. The system design of children’s asthma products obtained by combining KJ method and AHP method in product design and conducting fuzzy comprehensive evaluation analysis is practical. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, the real needs of users can be accurately captured, and strategies for applying new theories to solve problems can be summarized more intuitively and effectively.

This study explores the user experience of fitness service systems integrated into smartwatches, with a particular focus on users of running apps. By combining diary studies with chatbot technology and co-creation workshops, the research seeks to comprehend the needs of users within digital fitness products and services through a “designing with users” methodology. Initially, this study undertook an online diary activity facilitated by chatbots, yielding insights into their experiences, pain points, and aspirations. Leveraging these insights, the study developed co-creation toolkits and conducted co-creation workshops. The toolkits, comprising card decks, a co-creation canvas, and scenario images, were pivotal in motivating participants to share their experiences and engage actively in the co-creation process. The methodology of this study, integrating diary studies and col-creation workshops, provides a holistic approach to understanding and improving the user experience of digital fitness products and services. The findings reveal significant differences in requirements between novice and experienced users, offering critical insights for future product development. This research underscores the vital role of user participation and the need for personalized experiences in the design of health service systems, setting a new benchmark for user-centered design in the digital health and fitness domains.

The rapid development of digital technology has empowered users to engage with fitness applications. While these apps have significantly facilitated user participation in fitness activities, a critical issue is the discontinuation of app usage after a certain period. This study delves into users' discontinuance intention regarding smartphone fitness applications, explicitly focusing on Generation Z consumers in Bangkok. Leveraging the Technology Readiness and Acceptance Model (TRAM), the research aims to uncover the impact of technology readiness on users' perceived usefulness and ease of use, subsequently influencing their discontinuance intention. The objectives of this study include examining the extent to which different dimensions of technology readiness influence users' perceptions of smartphone fitness app usefulness and ease of use. It also investigates the influence of perceived usefulness and ease of use on users' discontinuance intention and explores whether these dimensions mediate the impact of technology readiness on discontinuance intention. The research findings reveal significant relationships and mediation effects that shed light on the factors impacting users' decisions to persist with or abandon fitness applications. Optimism and innovativeness positively affect users' perceptions of usefulness and ease of use, highlighting their role in fostering app adoption. Furthermore, the study underscores the pivotal role of perceived ease of use in reducing discontinuance intention. The implications of these findings for app developers and providers are discussed, emphasizing the importance of user-friendly design and personalization to meet the diverse needs of Generation Z consumers.

This paper develops an interface design methodology in which the scenario-based design is aided by predetermined performance shaping factors. The methodology is developed to enables us to create the scenarios, which is the key success components in the designing processes, efficiently and effectively by showing context factors shaping human behavior/performance. We performed a case study where the developed methodology was applied to design a future user-centered interface of autonomous vehicle monitoring and controlling systems. Based on the results and implications obtained from the application, the potential uses of our methodology are discussed.

Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR) technologies have inspired educational institutions to incorporate unique experiences for recruiting prospective students. With the turn to remote engagements and the advancements in AR technology towards immersive and meaningful interactions, we propose a home-based recruitment approach tailored for prospective students, with Virginia Tech as our case study. Through interviews and focus groups with university students, we explore the factors influencing their choice of academic institution. Building on insights from our preliminary study, we introduce an interactive AR board game as a novel recruitment strategy. This novel approach aims to cultivate a playful yet collaborative decision-making experience, facilitating meaningful engagements between prospective students and their families. At the heart of our design lies a commitment to playful information dissemination and the fostering of multi-generational involvement. Our design offers a bespoke experience attuned to the nuances of home-based college recruitment.

Understanding anomalous behavior and spatial changes in an urban parking area can enhance decision-making and situational awareness insights for sustainable urban parking management. Decision-making relies on data that comes in overwhelming velocity and volume, that one cannot comprehend without some layer of analysis and visualization. This work presents a mobile application that performs time series analysis and anomaly detection on parking lot data for decision-making. The mobile application allows users to add pins in the parking lot and analyze the pin data over a period of time. Our approach uses parking pins to identify each vehicle and then collect specific data, such as temporal variables like latitude, longitude, time, date, and text (information from the license plate), as well as images and videos shot at the location. Users have the option of placing pins at the location where their car is parked, and the information collected can be used for time series analysis. By examining the data pattern, we may quickly identify vehicles parked in restricted spaces but without authorization and vehicles parked in disabled spaces but owned by regular users. This time series analysis enables the extraction of meaningful insights, making it useful in the identification of recurring patterns in parking lot occupancy over time. This information aids in predicting future demands, enabling parking administrators to allocate resources efficiently during peak hours and optimize space usage. It can be used in detecting irregularities in parking patterns, aiding in the prompt identification of unauthorized or abnormal parking and parking violations which includes parking of the wrong type of vehicle, and parking at restricted or reserved areas.

Modern society’s challenges in science and technology underscore the importance of science education. Effective science education, however, often necessitates outdoor learning and observation, addressing the limitations of traditional classrooms. These limitations, such as a lack of diverse teaching methods, lead to fewer opportunities for hands-on activities, diminishing student interest in learning. To address this, scholars integrate games and outdoor teaching methods, including location-based games that adapt to players’ geographical locations, fostering a connection between the virtual and physical worlds. Playability and player experience, linked to intrinsic motivation, are critical in game-based learning. This study investigates whether incorporating location-based elements into educational games with high playability results in positive player experiences. Focused on plant ecology education, the research develops location-based and non-location-based game versions for experimentation. The quasi-experimental approach involves participants playing both versions and completing a player experience questionnaire. Statistical analysis reveals the location-based game provides a superior player experience, boosting satisfaction and confidence. These findings offer valuable insights for developers of future educational location-based games.

Today’s online retailers are faced with the challenge of providing a convenient solution for their customers to browse through a wide range of products. Simultaneously, they must meet individual customer needs by creating unique, personalized, one-of-a-kind items. Technological advances in areas such as Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) or sensors (e.g. LiDAR), have the potential to address these challenges by enhancing the customer experience in new ways. One option is to implement “phygital” commerce solutions, which combines the benefits of physical and digital environments to improve the customer journey.

This work presents a concept for a mobile AR application that integrates LiDAR and an AI-powered recommender system to create a unique phygital customer journey in the context of furniture shopping. The combination of AR, LiDAR and AI enables an accurate immersive experience along with personalized product designs. This concept aims to deliver benefits in terms of usability, convenience, time savings and user experience, while bridging the gap between mass-produced and personalized products. The new possibilities for merging virtual with physical environments hold immense potential, but this work also highlights challenges for customers as well as for online platform providers and future researchers.

Applying Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) in a Corporate Training (CT) environment can improve the learning effectiveness of trainees. Therefore, a positive User Experience (UX) concerning the MAR application is crucial. To ensure this, the UX of MAR must be measured. However, hardly any standardized UX questionnaire for MAR can be found in the literature. This research is a two-study approach. The first quantitative study was conducted to evaluate the importance of UX quality aspects concerning MAR in CT. Based on this, a standardized UX questionnaire for MAR in CT (UXAR-CT) was developed. Therefore, suitable UX measurement items were selected by the researchers from a pool of 1500 measurement items referring to 60 UX questionnaires. Preliminary evaluation was conducted in a second quantitative study referring to MAR learning scenarios. Results show, that the UX quality aspects Dependability, Perspicuity, Usefulness, Efficiency, Clarity, and Value are important concerning the UX of MAR in CT. Based on these quality aspects, the UXAR-CT questionnaire was developed. Preliminary results concerning the item selection and validation are described.

Often, students’ ‘prior ideas’ and ‘alternative conceptions’ about natural phenomena do not align with established scientific models in science education. In the field of astronomy, some of these ideas and conceptions are ingrained from an early age and persist over the years even after receiving formal instruction, highlighting the urgent need to design resources and activities to enhance scientific literacy. In this regard, Extended Reality (XR) emerges as an easily accessible technology with broad applications for astronomy education, making it a useful tool with the potential to address this issue. From this perspective, this study aims to present the design and preliminary evaluation of eight Augmented Reality (AR) educational resources focused on addressing reported alternative conceptions during the learning and teaching of astronomy. Through a methodology based on Educational Design Research, we developed and preliminarily evaluated these astronomy AR resources through simple activities with primary and secondary school students. The evaluation results contributed to improving the software, providing students with access to rigorous scientific content focused on overcoming alternative conceptions in astronomy and tailored to their needs.

Consulting a map on navigation assistance systems while navigating the real-world environment can reduce spatial memory. The current augmented reality (AR) view, which merges physical and virtual information spaces, facilitates wayfinding by overlaying route indications in the real-world environment. Traditionally, switching from the AR to the map view has been considered essential for encoding spatial representations in the brain constructing the cognitive map. However, we propose that the need for maps can be reduced by utilizing AR objects that simulate the environmental boundary surrounding the navigation area. Based on this concept, we designed a prototype, AR City Walls, and conducted an experiment to evaluate spatial memory and workload during Global Positioning System (GPS)-aided navigation without map exposure. Compared to the AR view displaying route indications only, the AR City Walls combining route indications significantly improved cognitive map construction and wayfinding while maintaining a low workload. Simulating real environmental cues crucial for spatial cognition during navigation embodies the simplicity, naturalness, and immediacy of virtual information displays.

In mobile application interface design, choosing an appropriate information layout has a greater impact on users’ perception and access to interface in-formation, which largely affects the experience of using mobile applications. However, the current design decisions are usually based on subjective experience and lack of scientific basis. In this article, we experimentally compare the effects of four types of information layout on users’ visual search in financial bookkeeping apps, and explore the appropriate information layout in this kind of application scenario based on the “Shark Bookkeeping” app as a design example. Firstly, we analyze the existing common mobile interface information layout methods through literature and current research, and search for suitable experimental objects. Then, through a series of experiments, we asked the participants to perform specific tasks under different layout styles, and recorded their search time and subjective evaluation of satisfaction, and the experimental data were processed by SPSS software. The results of the study show that the card layout approach is more conducive for users to find the required information quickly compared to other approaches, while the subjective satisfaction ratings support the objective experimental measurements. This finding has practical implications for the design of mobile applications related to bookkeeping software, which can improve user efficiency and satisfaction.