Team 4

Contributors: Nicholas Baca, Kristine Oh, Mahima Natarajan

Introduction

This project explores the role of fitness trackers, in particular, as a study on the rise of wearable devices and personal data tracking. These devices have become crucial tools for tracking activity and supporting health management, converting user physical activity data into "body data" to encourage healthy living. However, this project analyzes the impact of the distortion or manipulation of this information on user behavior change and seeks ways to modify existing activity tracker applications to induce positive behavioral changes in users. The process involves exploring methods to systematically alter the user's mental model using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Key Objectives:

• Analyze the current status and effects of wearable device usage.
• Derive requirements through user interviews and observations.
• Propose directions for improving existing activity tracker applications.
• Develop prototypes and review.
• Optimize the design process using generative AI tools.

Methods Used

Preliminary Research

Current Issues

The intersection of wearable technology, personal data tracking, and behavior change presents complex challenges and opportunities in our increasingly connected world. Examining the issues across these domains reveals important insights for both users and designers of these technologies.

1. Body Data Tracking

   Privacy and Data Security Concerns:

• Personal health information may be shared or sold to third parties, including advertisers and insurance companies

• Major security breaches have occurred, such as the 2018 Under Armour MyFitnessPal breach that exposed 150 million users' data

• Bluetooth connections create potential security holes, allowing hackers to intercept signals and potentially access personal information

• Default privacy settings often make user data publicly accessible, requiring users to change settings for greater privacy actively

  Technical Limitations: