IT Innovation Contest

A team-based contest for creative IT solutions

A scoreboard based smartphone App of self-managed physical moving activities for office workers

Submitted by Yi-Chang Li on July 27, 2012 - 2:06pm Last revised by Web Producer on August 25, 2014 - 10:06am.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

1.      Project Title：A scoreboard based smartphone App of self-managed physical moving activities for office workers (Authors: Yi-Chang Li, Chia-Yu Lien and Austin Shieh, Date:Augest 3, 2012. For more information, please read the final submission which has been attached in the PDF format on Aug 3, 2012, 11:20 am)

2.      Description of project

How much physical activity do you need? CDC suggests work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html)

What is moderate activities? What is vigorous activities? and what activities can be tracking by GPS on a smartphone?

Moderate: While performing the physical activity, if your breathing and heart rate is noticeably faster but you can still carry on a conversation — it's probably moderately intense. Examples include walking briskly* (a 15-minute mile), light yard work (raking/bagging leaves or using a lawn mower), light snow shoveling*, actively playing with children, and biking at a casual pace*.

Vigorous: Your heart rate is increased substantially and you are breathing too hard and fast to have a conversation, it's probably vigorously intense. Examples include jogging/running*, swimming laps, rollerblading/inline skating at a brisk pace*, cross-country skiing*, most competitive sports (football, basketball, or soccer), and jumping rope.

Note:  *  means the activity can be tracked by a GPS on the smartphone

We present a scoreboard app for office workers in UCSF on the smartphone with AGPS. Following users are included: medical professionals in UCSF hospital, as well as students, staffs and faculty in UCSF campus. User will get the score for moving exercises, such as walking, running, skating, running and cycling. A score is reported to user on a weekly basis (thru Monday to Sunday). User will receive a score remind a day (e.g. before 8pm). On Sunday, user will get a summary report and will be encouraged by a symbol of completion if he/she reaches above the baseline (CDC suggestion of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. ) If his/her score is under baseline, a reminder will be also sent to the smartphone to encourage him/her exercise more in the next week.

Notice: This app is not designed for an office worker who likes exercises.It is for an office worker may use "no time" or "too busy" as a excuse and not move at lease above the baseline. Score is calculated based on the intensity and the time of moving activities. The score formula will be opened after Aug 10.

3.      Deliverables

An iPhone or an Android App will be delivered by free downloading on Apple's Appstore or Google's Market. The app will benefit on UCSF office workers or campus members to improve their fitness. The app will be opened to public free download when the program is well-tested by UCSF users.

Time bond depends on final scope and requirements.

4.      Impact on UCSF's mission and/or community (Expected Contribution of this project)

This project is expected to have a little contribution as one of the pilot studies to prevent individual to become a pre-type-2-diabetes. Physical exercise is a key component of lifestyle modification. The modification can help individuals prevent or control type 2 diabetes (Fowler, 2010). Although diet is probably more important in the initial phases of weight loss, incorporating exercise as part of a weight-loss regimen helps maintain weight loss and prevent regaining of weight (Klein et al. 2004; Bassuk and Manson 2005).

Internet techonologies and mobile technologies introduced innovative way to improve individual fitness and prevent health problems (such as Faghri et al., 2008; Fukuoka et al. 2010, to name a few).

UCSF has been well known by academy and community because of its history and leadership in innovation and a vision of a cure in diabetes. The app presented in this project is a pilot study for presenting an innovative tool in type 2 diabetes prevention. However, the app will not track all kinds of physical activities but moving because of the limitation of GPS capability. After implementation and test of our app, future study is expected to have a pilot trail for evaluating the effectiveness for individual with type 2pre-diabete.

 

5.      List of team members and their roles

(1)   Yi-Chang Li, Visiting Assistant Professor, Institute for Health and Aging, School of Nursing, UCSF (team leader and part-time programmer)

(2)   Chia-Yu Lien, Master students, School of Nursing, UCSF (as a team member to adapt carlorie conversion and develop a scoreboard for this project)

(3)   Austin Shieh, EECS undergrate student, UC Berkeley, (as a team member and a part-time programer in this project

 

6.      Estimated time devoted by each team member

Equal devotion is made by each team member.

7.      For staff: pre-approval documentation from your supervisor

No staff at this time

 

8.      Current progress

The calculation formula for calculation of the score got in each moving activity is under revision by Chia-Yu Lien. Figure 1 demonstrates our prototype which is under construction. Red spot represent the position of individual who is using our app. Orange circle means the distance of half a mile within the individual access.

Please see the figure in our MS word format file attached below.

Reference

1. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD et al. 2011. Compendium of Physical Activities: A Second Update of Codes and MET. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 43(8):1575-1581.

2. Bassuk SS and Manson JE. 2005.Epidemiological evidence for the role of physical activity in reducing risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,Journal of Applied Physiology,99(3):1193-1204.

3. Faghri PD  Omokaro C.  Parker,C.  Nichols,E.  Gustavesen S. and  Blozie E. 2008. E-technology and Pedometer Walking Program to Increase Physical Activity at Work,Journal of Primary Prevention,29(1):73-91.

4. Fowler MJ. 2010. Diagnosis, Classification, and Lifestyle Treatment of Diabetes.Clinical Diabetes. 28(2):79-86

5. Fukuoka Y, Vittinghoff E, Jong SS, Haskell W.  (2010). Innovation to motivation--A pilot study of mobile phone intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary women. Preventive Medicine, 51(3-4), 287-289

6. Klein S, Sheard NF, Pi-Sunyer X, Daly A, Wylie-Rosett J, Kulkarni K, Clark NG .2004. Weight management through lifestyle modification for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: rationale and strategies: a statement of the American Diabetes Association, the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, and the American Society for Clinical Nutrition. Diabetes Care 27:2067–2073

PDF icon working_proposal_for_it_innovation_contest_ucsf_submission_08032012.pdf

Comments

Yi-Chang Li - July 27, 2012 - 6:16pm
We are welcoming a app programmer or a student who is familiar with iPhone or Android App development. Google mapkit is an easy API. We can study together. If interested please mail to Yi-Chang.Li@ucsf.edu

Enrique Terrazas - July 28, 2012 - 12:32pm
An interesting concept, but there are other similar fitness apps freely available. It seems that the distinguishing point of this one is that UCSF landmarks would be included by name. Looking at Mission Bay campus on Google, Genentech Hall and others are already listed so would be available to any app using google's map data.

Yi-Chang Li - August 2, 2012 - 3:54pm
Hi! Dr. Enrique Thank you for your useful comments on my proposal entitled "UCSF New Student/Staff/Faculty Greeting and Campus Run/walk/bike Keeper(UNGCRK)". I come from Taiwan. I am a visiting assistant professor of IHA for three months from July. My Ph.D degree is at degree of information technology. I am a assistant professor teaching in a Taiwanese university for five years. My school is Chung Shan Medical University. (www.csmu.edu.tw) I teach computer programming language at undergrauate, and healthcare information techonology in graduate school. This is my first time staying at United States more than 10 days. I visited US for conference 3 times in 2005, 2008, 2011. This visit make me learn some interesting concepts and a lot of knowledge (also from your comments). According to your comments and comments from my college in IHA, I am revising my proposal. The target users of the app change to "office workers in UCSF". Some people told me that "unlike UC Berkey, UCSF has just a few FRESHMAN orientation. Most of people in UCSF are professional workers in medicine, nursing, medical sciences, and so on." Their comments remind me maybe my new app should target "office workers" who have not enough time or less interests in execises. Of course, excercises have many types. But GPS can only track on who is moving and his/her speed and distance of the moving. ================================================================= According to CDC's suggestion, How much physical activity do I need? Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html) What is moderate activities? What is vigorous activities? and Which can be tracking by GPS? Moderate: While performing the physical activity, if your breathing and heart rate is noticeably faster but you can still carry on a conversation — it's probably moderately intense. Examples include— •Walking briskly (a 15-minute mile). (can be tracking by GPS) •Light yard work (raking/bagging leaves or using a lawn mower). (can not be tracking by GPS) •Light snow shoveling.(can not be tracking by GPS) •Actively playing with children. (can not be tracking by GPS) •Biking at a casual pace. (can be tracking by GPS) Vigorous: Your heart rate is increased substantially and you are breathing too hard and fast to have a conversation, it's probably vigorously intense. Examples include— •Jogging/running. (can be tracking by GPS) •Swimming laps. (can not be tracking by GPS because of in water) •Rollerblading/inline skating at a brisk pace. (can be tracking by GPS) •Cross-country skiing.(can be tracking by GPS) •Most competitive sports (football, basketball, or soccer). (can not be tracking by GPS) •Jumping rope. (can not be tracking by GPS) ======================================================= I am developing a scoreboard like Input/Output interface on the app. Scores is reported to user on a week basis (Monday - Sunday). One score report is sent to the user every day (e.g. 8pm). On Sunday, the user will be encourged by a perfect symbol if he/she reaches the baseline (150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. ) If he/she is under baseline, a reminder also encourage them to try to work more in the next week. This app is not for office worker who likes excercise. It is for office worker may use "no time" or "too busy" as a excuse and not move at lease above the baseline. This app will have more contribution if you can give me comments on my thought. I appriciate your comment and look forward to your more comments on the new thought. Best regards Yichang Yi-Chang Li, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor at IHA School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco Tel: 476-1106 Mail:Yi-Chang.Li@ucsf.edu also an Assistant Professor at Department of Healthcare Administration Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Yi-Chang Li - August 2, 2012 - 3:56pm
For more information, please see the revised propoal in MS word format.

Enrique Terrazas - August 4, 2012 - 2:36pm
This certainly changes the scope and utility of the app! I'm not familiar with other fitness apps so can't comment on whether there are existing apps with these features, but certainly an app that promotes fitness for UCSF workers would be a welcome addition.

Yi-Chang Li - August 9, 2012 - 2:41pm
Dr. Terrazas Thank you so much for your useful comments. You change my thoughts toward the right direction.

Jeffrey Jorgenson - August 2, 2012 - 5:19pm
Hello, I certainly support the concept of using mobile technology to help people stay healthy. Might I also respectfully suggest that you confer with Dr. Yoshimi Fukuoka who has been pioneering mobile interventions for sedentary women through her R01 grant. She has a wealth of knowledge regarding using mobile devices to monitor, motivate and interact with her cohort. My team would be glad to offer assistance and advice as well.

Yi-Chang Li - August 3, 2012 - 11:58am
Hi! Jeff Thank you very much. I have read Yoshimi's papers and cited one of the papers. I admired her pioneer project and was looking forward to confer with her soon if she has time. Are you a team member of Yoshimi's? or are you an individual team? Thanks again for your useful comment. Yichang

Austin Shieh - August 9, 2012 - 2:55pm
I feel this app can be very helpful to a lot of people who think they do not have time to exercise and stay healthy. I like the idea of including markers of locations to travel to because it is always more enjoyable to have a destination to go to when doing physical activities. It would also be nice to be able to end running or walking at an interesting location(cafe, library) or a great view. I joined this team because I feel this proposal has a lot of potential to expand if implemented

Yi-Chang Li - August 10, 2012 - 12:51am
Some newspaper or health guides reported about 12 exercises office workers can do in their office sites. A few of them might have moderative intensity on physical moving, but most of the exercises in fact are scratch but no moving on their bodies in concept of moving in distance. I should say again the main thoughts in my proposal: the app is not just recommending an individual should move his/her body, it recommends or motivate office works to perform "meaningful moving" above a baseline to keep them health. More people move, more saving future health expenditure, I think. Do you agree on this last sentence, right?

Lee Stacey - August 10, 2012 - 8:00am
I am very interesting in your idea.I think this app can help more healthy people if you have chance to implement it into practice.I have a question.Do you plan your app being downloaded by open users by charge or by free downloaded?I recommend that your app open to public by free downloaded in apple store to help more healthy people to keep their health.

Yi-Chang Li - August 10, 2012 - 10:33am
Hi!Stacey Thank you for your encouragement. About open free download, yes, the app will be free downloaded by not only individual in UCSF but also for general public. Out team's mission is to help healthy people (office workers included) keeping their health by easy-to-use and simple IT tools. This app is one of our presentation based on the mission. Yichang

Chia-Yu Lien - August 10, 2012 - 4:31pm
I feel this project very useful for people who don’t exercise regularly. The app can document the distance of walking every day which will be a reinforcement for me to at list walking for a short distant.

Commenting is closed.