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Physiology of everyday sleep and physical activity: An exploratory mixed-methods study of multi-sensor wearables for
Emily Hunter1,2, Niina Kolehmainen3,4, Kianoush Nazarpour5
1Newcastle University Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. emily.hunter@newcastle.ac.uk.
Insights
Wearable sensors show promise for tracking young children's sleep and physical activity. However, design challenges like comfort and data loss must be addressed for effective, large-scale use in health monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health Technology
- Behavioral Science in Early Childhood
- Biomedical Engineering for Children
Background:
- Sleep and physical activity are crucial for child development and well-being.
- Objective quantification tools are needed for population-level promotion of these behaviors.
- Existing wearable technology faces challenges in pediatric application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the usability of two wearable sensors for measuring physical activity and sleep in young children (4-36 months).
- To identify design challenges and facilitators for longitudinal home use of wearable devices in this age group.
- To inform future co-creation of child-friendly health monitoring technology.
Main Methods:
- Mixed-methods study using a longitudinal within-case design.
- Recruitment of families with young children in North East England.
- Testing of two wearable devices (Bittium Faros 180, NAPPA) over one week, combining structured play and home use.
- Data collection on sleep, movement, and heart rate, with usability assessed via observation and parent feedback.
Main Results:
- Seven children completed the study, with initial parental enthusiasm tempered by usability issues.
- The heart rate monitor presented comfort and size challenges, leading to electrode detachment and data loss.
- The NAPPA system was more user-friendly but potentially disrupted sleep; non-parental care also caused data loss.
- Significant design challenges hinder scalable, longitudinal home use of current wearable devices for young children.
Conclusions:
- Wearable devices offer potential for monitoring young children's health behaviors but require significant design improvements.
- Co-creation involving children, parents, and designers is essential for developing practical, child-friendly hardware and software.
- Addressing usability, comfort, and data integrity is critical for successful large-scale implementation of pediatric health monitoring technology.
Abstract:
Sleep and physical activity are vital to the health, development, and well-being of young children. To effectively promote these behaviours at the population level, better tools for objectively quantifying them are needed. This hypothesis-generating mixed-methods study explored the potential usability of two wearable sensors to measure physical activity and sleep in young children over multiple days, drawing on physiological measurements. A longitudinal within-case design was employed, in which families with children aged 4-36 months from the North East of England were recruited through playgroups and social networks. Parents and children tested two wearable devices in a structured play setting and at home over a period of 1 week. Data on sleep, movement, and heart rate were collected using the Bittium Faros 180 heart rate monitor and the NAPPA sleep monitoring system. Usability was assessed through researcher observations and parent feedback using ethnographic methods. Wear time, heart rate variability during naps, and ultradian respiration cycles during sleep were analysed. Seven children participated and completed the study. While parents were initially enthusiastic, usability challenges arose. The heart rate monitor was considered uncomfortable, its large size hindered activity, and electrodes were detached by parents and accidently, leading to significant data loss. The NAPPA was easier to use, discreet, and comfortable, but disrupted sleep routines. Additional challenges related to non-parental caregiving resulted in non-wear and/or data loss. These results indicate that wearable devices for young children hold potential but face significant design challenges for longitudinal home use at scale. Co-creation of child-friendly, practical hardware and software is essential for effective, large-scale health monitoring in young children.
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