Bristol University researchers createD a software that uses motion sensors on an Android smartwatch to send a text message and vibration alert when movements suggest cigarette usage.
Researchers from Bristol University have created a smartwatch application that can detect actions suggestive of cigarette usage and send a vibration alert along with a text message.
The researchers developed a software that recognizes the typical hand movements associated with smoking using motion sensors on an android smartwatch.
Once the sensors detect hand movements suggestive of smoking, it displays a text message of support created by the user, on the smartwatch screen.
One text message says, “Stop smoking to improve your breathing”. Another said, “Quitting is good.”
Participants can swipe away the message after reading it.
Testing the Application
The technology was tested using 18 individuals who were interested in stopping smoking. They wore for two weeks a Ticwatch that had the app installed on it. They wore it from the time they got up in the morning and removed it when they went to bed at night. They completed a 27-question questionnaire and returned the watch at the conclusion of the two-week period.
Credit: Mobvoi
Positive Feedback
Some positive feedback received from users say the app increased their awareness of smoking, gave them confidence to stop, and caused them to pause, reflect, and smoke a little less. A few negative feedbacks say the repetition of the anti-smoking messages made it ineffective after some time.
Overall, 66% of participants reported that the messages from the smartwatch was effective in terms of helping them avoid smoking.
Alizee Froguel, prevention policy manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK and stopping completely is the best thing you can do for your health. This study shows that smartwatches could be a useful method to help people quit smoking, but more research is needed to understand how effective they are.
“There are many tools available to help people quit, and getting support from your free local stop smoking service will give you the best chance of stopping successfully. To help create a smokefree future, the UK government must ensure cessation services are sustainably funded and accessible for all.”
