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Usability of an Intelligent Virtual Assistant for Promoting Behavior Change and Self-Care in Older People with Type 2
João Balsa1, Isa Félix2, Ana Paula Cláudio3
1Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. jbalsa@ciencias.ulisboa.pt.
Abstract:
In the context of the VASelfCare project, we developed an application prototype of an intelligent anthropomorphic virtual assistant. Designed as a relational agent, the virtual assistant has the role of supporting older people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) in medication adherence and lifestyle changes. Our paper has two goals: describing the essentials of this prototype, and reporting on usability evaluation. We describe the general architecture of the prototype, including the graphical component, and focus on its main feature: the incorporation, in the way the dialogue flows, of Behavior Change Techniques, identified through a theoretical framework, the Behaviour Change Wheel. Usability was experimentally evaluated in field tests in a purposive sample of 20 participants (11 older adults with T2D and 9 experts). The Portuguese version of the System Usability Scale was employed, supplemented with qualitative data from open questions, diaries, digital notes and telephone follow-ups. The aggregated mean SUS score was 73,75 (SD 13,31), which corresponds to a borderline rating of excellent. Textual data were content analyzed and will be prioritized to further improve usability.
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