WalkMinder: Encouraging an Active Lifestyle Using Mobile Phone Interruptions

Abstract

Medical research suggests that avoiding lengthy periods of physical inactivity can have significant health benefits. The pervasive nature of mobile phones increasingly allows individuals to track and measure their own physical activity thus creating opportunities for them to reflect on their behavior and make informed changes. In this work, we investigated two mechanisms for encouraging a more active lifestyle: a glanceable display of an individual’s level of physical activity and mobile phone vibrations to interrupt extended periods of inactivity. We found that both mechanisms can help users become more aware of their activity patterns but may be ignored unless coupled with concrete advice on how to incorporate active moments into their day.