A Craft Approach to Health Awareness in Children

Abstract

Children in the United States are increasingly at risk for a vast array of health problems due to poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. In recent years, a burgeoning landscape of wearable and mobile health technologies in the form of activity trackers and fitness applications have focused on addressing this problem. While these solutions have had some measure of success with children, there is also evidence that youngsters are not readily adopting the types of fitness implements that adults find useful. In this paper, we present a computational toolkit that blends craft and health, permitting children to craft their own tangible health visualizations based on data from an accompanying wearable device. We also present the results of an encouraging 2-month study conducted with middle school children. The results suggest that craft could potentially serve as a gateway to healthful thinking in children.

Perceptions of Visualizing Physical Activity as a 3D-Printed Object: Formative Study

“…A recent school-based intervention using glanceable light-emitting diode (LED) technology to display groups’ PAL reported that children wanted more personalized forms of visual feedback [18], with others suggesting that material rewards are cherished more than virtual rewards [28] because of their higher visibility and uniqueness [29,30]. Indeed, previous research utilizing paper and LED lights to create PA awareness promoting artifacts found that youth took incremental steps toward self-regulation through goal setting and reflection [31]. It was concluded that although the artifacts did not elicit improved physical activity in youth, using tangible artifacts in conjunction with wearables could benefit youths’ health [31].…”

“…Indeed, previous research utilizing paper and LED lights to create PA awareness promoting artifacts found that youth took incremental steps toward self-regulation through goal setting and reflection [31]. It was concluded that although the artifacts did not elicit improved physical activity in youth, using tangible artifacts in conjunction with wearables could benefit youths’ health [31]. However, it could be argued that paper artifacts do not provide youth with an adequate haptic and proprioceptive experience of personalized feedback to reap health benefits [32].…”

The Tangibility of Personalized 3D-Printed Feedback May Enhance Youths’ Physical Activity Awareness, Goal Setting, and Motivation: Intervention Study

“…Indeed, the number of schools owning a 3D printer is on the rise [136], which makes 3D-printing interventions similar to this study more feasible and cost-effective. In this light, it may be useful to compare 3D-printed feedback with other approaches, such as digital mobile phone feedback [137,138], light-emitting diode feedback technology [139,140], 3D-printed edibles [141], or shape-changing artifacts [142] to determine which methods of feedback can elicit the best intervention effects, user experience, and cost-effectiveness.…”

Craftec

“…Eduwear, a toolkit designed for the construction of wearable technology, capitalizes on this principle by enabling novices to create personally meaningful artifacts [29]. Building on this finding, Ananthanarayan et al [2] found that those who spent over ninety minutes crafting their wearable device (electronics and design), used it more often. We extend these findings by emphasizing the hands-on crafting of electronically enhanced objects with Craftec.…”

“…The making community is comprised heavily of middle-aged men with disposable income [15]. Researchers have encouraged more diverse groups to join in the DIY and Maker Movements, including children, women, and those with disabilities, [2,8,10,40]. When children are engaged, researchers found hands-on, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) oriented "let's try it" exploration particularly successful [31].…”