Prototyping the Automated Food Imaging and Nutrient Intake Tracking System: Modified Participatory Iterative Design...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Nutritional Science
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Malnutrition affects 45% of older adults in long-term care (LTC).
• Current food intake tracking methods lack accuracy and ease of use.
• A need exists for an objective, comprehensive system for LTC settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a prototype for the Automated Food Imaging and Nutrient Intake Tracking (AFINI-T) system using a participatory design sprint.
• To address user-identified problems and solutions for improved system adoption.
• To mitigate barriers to implementation and utilize user-centered technology development.

Main Methods:

• A 6-stage iterative participatory design sprint involving 38 participants from 15 roles.
• Assessment of subjective workload, usability, and charting efficiency.
• Comparison of the AFINI-T prototype with current food and fluid intake charting methods.

Main Results:

• Key system priorities identified: ease of use, accuracy, reliability, maintainability, and PointClickCare integration.
• The AFINI-T prototype demonstrated significantly lower time demands, effort, and frustration compared to current methods.
• High usability ratings were achieved, with 7 out of 8 sections rated 'very satisfactory'.

Conclusions:

• The AFINI-T system shows promise as an intelligent food and fluid intake tracking tool for LTC.
• The system may offer improvements over existing methods, with strong user interest.
• The study highlights the adaptability of the sprint method for developing novel, needs-based technologies.