A Smart Garment for Active Ageing:Mapping User Requirements to Technology

WP Burns; CD Nugent; PJ McCullagh; D Finlay; I Cleland; B Altemeyer; Guido Parente; BW Scotney; SI McClean; S BENTON; J McCann

doi:10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33

A Smart Garment for Active Ageing:Mapping User Requirements to Technology

WP Burns, CD Nugent, PJ McCullagh, D Finlay, I Cleland, B Altemeyer, Guido Parente, BW Scotney, SI McClean, S BENTON, J McCann

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective Physical exercise may be used to improve mental cognition, physicalstrength and overall dexterity within the older population. This can enhance healthand wellbeing. Walking is cited as the best exercise for persons over 60. Weoutline the development of a smart garment that allows the wearer to monitor theirwellbeing whilst harnessing technology to provide additional safety measures andfunctionality.Main Content In order to ascertain the user needs, questionnaires were designedand distributed to a target cohort of 50 hikers (aged 60 or over). Thesequestionnaires elicited user opinions and experiences with walking activities,clothing attire and technology; in addition to examining what users sought from asmart garment. A number of workshops were organized to offer users hands-onexperience with appropriate fabrics, textiles and technology. From the feedbackreceived a technology mapping exercise was performed in which viabletechnologies were mapped onto the requirements elicited.Results From this user interaction phase, themes were established: safetyenhancement, additional functionality, support for monitoring health indicatorsand increased social interaction. The technology mapping exercise facilitated thedevelopment of an initial prototype that used a Smartphone and inbuilt sensors(accelerometer, GPS) to collect and record: location and walking attributes (suchas speed, distance and altitude) all of which were fed back on an interactive map.A step count was implemented using the onboard accelerometer, to provide anindication of overall activity level. Further development will harness expertise inclothing manufacturing to create a layering system with the capability ofintegrating sensors to create a Body Area Network, to monitor and recordrequested information such as heart rate and (peripheral) body temperature. Allthis information must be assimilated in a useful and meaningful way. Hence theuser interface and interaction methods will be designed appropriate to the age andexperience of the target cohort, with elements of personalisation.Conclusion Feedback from users on the development of a smart garment hasinfluenced the initial prototype. Further technical development will be based onuser evaluation of the wearable system. Feedback from these evaluations will beused to add, amend or remove functionality.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Everyday Technology for Independence and Care
Editors	G.J. Gelderblom, Mathijs Soede, Leon Adriaens, Klaus Miesenberger
Place of Publication	Amsterdam
Publisher	IOS Press
Pages	33-40
ISBN (Print)	978-1-60750-813-7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 1 Aug 2011

Keywords

Keywords Ageing
Smart Clothing
Wellness
Activity
User-Centered Design

Access to Document

10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33

Cite this

Burns, WP., Nugent, CD., McCullagh, PJ., Finlay, D., Cleland, I., Altemeyer, B., Parente, G., Scotney, BW., McClean, SI., BENTON, S., & McCann, J. (2011). A Smart Garment for Active Ageing:Mapping User Requirements to Technology. In G. J. Gelderblom, M. Soede, L. Adriaens, & K. Miesenberger (Eds.), Everyday Technology for Independence and Care (pp. 33-40). IOS Press. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33

@inbook{c9b78d906a0c45df8617d0f017f8fc7d,

title = "A Smart Garment for Active Ageing:Mapping User Requirements to Technology",

abstract = "Objective Physical exercise may be used to improve mental cognition, physicalstrength and overall dexterity within the older population. This can enhance healthand wellbeing. Walking is cited as the best exercise for persons over 60. Weoutline the development of a smart garment that allows the wearer to monitor theirwellbeing whilst harnessing technology to provide additional safety measures andfunctionality.Main Content In order to ascertain the user needs, questionnaires were designedand distributed to a target cohort of 50 hikers (aged 60 or over). Thesequestionnaires elicited user opinions and experiences with walking activities,clothing attire and technology; in addition to examining what users sought from asmart garment. A number of workshops were organized to offer users hands-onexperience with appropriate fabrics, textiles and technology. From the feedbackreceived a technology mapping exercise was performed in which viabletechnologies were mapped onto the requirements elicited.Results From this user interaction phase, themes were established: safetyenhancement, additional functionality, support for monitoring health indicatorsand increased social interaction. The technology mapping exercise facilitated thedevelopment of an initial prototype that used a Smartphone and inbuilt sensors(accelerometer, GPS) to collect and record: location and walking attributes (suchas speed, distance and altitude) all of which were fed back on an interactive map.A step count was implemented using the onboard accelerometer, to provide anindication of overall activity level. Further development will harness expertise inclothing manufacturing to create a layering system with the capability ofintegrating sensors to create a Body Area Network, to monitor and recordrequested information such as heart rate and (peripheral) body temperature. Allthis information must be assimilated in a useful and meaningful way. Hence theuser interface and interaction methods will be designed appropriate to the age andexperience of the target cohort, with elements of personalisation.Conclusion Feedback from users on the development of a smart garment hasinfluenced the initial prototype. Further technical development will be based onuser evaluation of the wearable system. Feedback from these evaluations will beused to add, amend or remove functionality.",

keywords = "Keywords Ageing, Smart Clothing, Wellness, Activity, User-Centered Design",

author = "WP Burns and CD Nugent and PJ McCullagh and D Finlay and I Cleland and B Altemeyer and Guido Parente and BW Scotney and SI McClean and S BENTON and J McCann",

year = "2011",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-1-60750-813-7",

pages = "33--40",

editor = "G.J. Gelderblom and Mathijs Soede and Leon Adriaens and Klaus Miesenberger",

booktitle = "Everyday Technology for Independence and Care",

publisher = "IOS Press",

address = "Netherlands",

}

Burns, WP, Nugent, CD , McCullagh, PJ , Finlay, D , Cleland, I, Altemeyer, B, Parente, G, Scotney, BW , McClean, SI, BENTON, S & McCann, J 2011, A Smart Garment for Active Ageing:Mapping User Requirements to Technology. in GJ Gelderblom, M Soede, L Adriaens & K Miesenberger (eds), Everyday Technology for Independence and Care. IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 33-40. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33

TY - CHAP

T1 - A Smart Garment for Active Ageing:Mapping User Requirements to Technology

AU - Burns, WP

AU - Nugent, CD

AU - McCullagh, PJ

AU - Finlay, D

AU - Cleland, I

AU - Altemeyer, B

AU - Parente, Guido

AU - Scotney, BW

AU - McClean, SI

AU - BENTON, S

AU - McCann, J

PY - 2011/8/1

Y1 - 2011/8/1

N2 - Objective Physical exercise may be used to improve mental cognition, physicalstrength and overall dexterity within the older population. This can enhance healthand wellbeing. Walking is cited as the best exercise for persons over 60. Weoutline the development of a smart garment that allows the wearer to monitor theirwellbeing whilst harnessing technology to provide additional safety measures andfunctionality.Main Content In order to ascertain the user needs, questionnaires were designedand distributed to a target cohort of 50 hikers (aged 60 or over). Thesequestionnaires elicited user opinions and experiences with walking activities,clothing attire and technology; in addition to examining what users sought from asmart garment. A number of workshops were organized to offer users hands-onexperience with appropriate fabrics, textiles and technology. From the feedbackreceived a technology mapping exercise was performed in which viabletechnologies were mapped onto the requirements elicited.Results From this user interaction phase, themes were established: safetyenhancement, additional functionality, support for monitoring health indicatorsand increased social interaction. The technology mapping exercise facilitated thedevelopment of an initial prototype that used a Smartphone and inbuilt sensors(accelerometer, GPS) to collect and record: location and walking attributes (suchas speed, distance and altitude) all of which were fed back on an interactive map.A step count was implemented using the onboard accelerometer, to provide anindication of overall activity level. Further development will harness expertise inclothing manufacturing to create a layering system with the capability ofintegrating sensors to create a Body Area Network, to monitor and recordrequested information such as heart rate and (peripheral) body temperature. Allthis information must be assimilated in a useful and meaningful way. Hence theuser interface and interaction methods will be designed appropriate to the age andexperience of the target cohort, with elements of personalisation.Conclusion Feedback from users on the development of a smart garment hasinfluenced the initial prototype. Further technical development will be based onuser evaluation of the wearable system. Feedback from these evaluations will beused to add, amend or remove functionality.

AB - Objective Physical exercise may be used to improve mental cognition, physicalstrength and overall dexterity within the older population. This can enhance healthand wellbeing. Walking is cited as the best exercise for persons over 60. Weoutline the development of a smart garment that allows the wearer to monitor theirwellbeing whilst harnessing technology to provide additional safety measures andfunctionality.Main Content In order to ascertain the user needs, questionnaires were designedand distributed to a target cohort of 50 hikers (aged 60 or over). Thesequestionnaires elicited user opinions and experiences with walking activities,clothing attire and technology; in addition to examining what users sought from asmart garment. A number of workshops were organized to offer users hands-onexperience with appropriate fabrics, textiles and technology. From the feedbackreceived a technology mapping exercise was performed in which viabletechnologies were mapped onto the requirements elicited.Results From this user interaction phase, themes were established: safetyenhancement, additional functionality, support for monitoring health indicatorsand increased social interaction. The technology mapping exercise facilitated thedevelopment of an initial prototype that used a Smartphone and inbuilt sensors(accelerometer, GPS) to collect and record: location and walking attributes (suchas speed, distance and altitude) all of which were fed back on an interactive map.A step count was implemented using the onboard accelerometer, to provide anindication of overall activity level. Further development will harness expertise inclothing manufacturing to create a layering system with the capability ofintegrating sensors to create a Body Area Network, to monitor and recordrequested information such as heart rate and (peripheral) body temperature. Allthis information must be assimilated in a useful and meaningful way. Hence theuser interface and interaction methods will be designed appropriate to the age andexperience of the target cohort, with elements of personalisation.Conclusion Feedback from users on the development of a smart garment hasinfluenced the initial prototype. Further technical development will be based onuser evaluation of the wearable system. Feedback from these evaluations will beused to add, amend or remove functionality.

KW - Keywords Ageing

KW - Smart Clothing

KW - Wellness

KW - Activity

KW - User-Centered Design

U2 - 10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33

DO - 10.3233/978-1-60750-814-4-33

M3 - Chapter

SN - 978-1-60750-813-7

SP - 33

EP - 40

BT - Everyday Technology for Independence and Care

A2 - Gelderblom, G.J.

A2 - Soede, Mathijs

A2 - Adriaens, Leon

A2 - Miesenberger, Klaus

PB - IOS Press

CY - Amsterdam

ER -

A Smart Garment for Active Ageing:Mapping User Requirements to Technology

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this