CARRS-Q Seminar Series

Challenges in applying context-aware systems to health and wellness

Overview
On Friday 5 October 2007, CARRS-Q hosted a seminar by Professor Anind K Dey. Dr Dey is an Assistant Professor in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.

His research interests lie at the intersection of human-computer interaction and ubiquitous computing. Specifically, he performs research in context-aware computing and sensor-based interactions. He has conducted research in building context-aware infrastructures (including the Context Toolkit), models for context-aware systems, applications of context-aware applications and definitions for context-aware systems. Recently his interests have focused on how to make context-aware systems useable and adoptable by end-users.

Abstract
Context aware systems have reached a certain level of maturity: researchers can build reliable infrastructure to support applications, and have compelling applications to build.

However, in order to make context-aware systems useable by end-users, particularly for the domain of health and wellness, a number of additional steps have to be taken, including advanced modelling, improved intelligibility, and enhanced control.

In this seminar, Dr Dey discussed the state-of-the-art in context-aware systems, and described how this current state is not yet sufficient for supporting useable and adoptable context-aware systems for end-users, using a number of case studies (cognitive support and diagnosis of elder drivers, cognitive support for Alzheimer's patients, and motivational support for those trying to lose weight) to illustrate these points.

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