scholarly journals Effects of a Personalized Fitness Recommender System Using Gamification and Continuous Player Modeling: System Design and Long-Term Validation Study

10.2196/19968 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e19968
Author(s):  
Zhao Zhao ◽  
Ali Arya ◽  
Rita Orji ◽  
Gerry Chan
Keyword(s):  
Recommender Systems ◽  
Recommender System ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Player Modeling ◽  
The One ◽  
Daily Physical Activities

Background Gamification and persuasive games are effective tools to motivate behavior change, particularly to promote daily physical activities. On the one hand, studies have suggested that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work well for persuasive game design. On the other hand, player modeling and recommender systems are increasingly used for personalizing content. However, there are few existing studies on how to build comprehensive player models for personalizing gamified systems, recommending daily physical activities, or the long-term effectiveness of such gamified exercise-promoting systems. Objective This paper aims to introduce a gamified, 24/7 fitness assistant system that provides personalized recommendations and generates gamified content targeted at individual users to bridge the aforementioned gaps. This research aims to investigate how to design gamified physical activity interventions to achieve long-term engagement. Methods We proposed a comprehensive model for gamified fitness recommender systems that uses detailed and dynamic player modeling and wearable-based tracking to provide personalized game features and activity recommendations. Data were collected from 40 participants (23 men and 17 women) who participated in a long-term investigation on the effectiveness of our recommender system that gradually establishes and updates an individual player model (for each unique user) over a period of 60 days. Results Our results showed the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed system, particularly for generating personalized exercise recommendations using player modeling. There was a statistically significant difference among the 3 groups (full, personalized, and gamified) for overall motivation (F3,36=22.49; P<.001), satisfaction (F3,36=22.12; P<.001), and preference (F3,36=15.0; P<.001), suggesting that both gamification and personalization have positive effects on the levels of motivation, satisfaction, and preference. Furthermore, qualitative results revealed that a customized storyline was the most requested feature, followed by a multiplayer mode, more quality recommendations, a feature for setting and tracking fitness goals, and more location-based features. Conclusions On the basis of these results and drawing from the gamer modeling literature, we conclude that personalizing recommendations using player modeling and gamification can improve participants’ engagement and motivation toward fitness activities over time.

scholarly journals Effects of a Personalized Fitness Recommender System Using Gamification and Continuous Player Modeling: System Design and Long-Term Validation Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao Zhao ◽  
Ali Arya ◽  
Rita Orji ◽  
Gerry Chan
Keyword(s):  
Recommender Systems ◽  
Recommender System ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Player Modeling ◽  
The One ◽  
Daily Physical Activities

BACKGROUND Gamification and persuasive games are effective tools to motivate behavior change, particularly to promote daily physical activities. On the one hand, studies have suggested that a <i>one-size-fits-all</i> approach does not work well for persuasive game design. On the other hand, player modeling and recommender systems are increasingly used for personalizing content. However, there are few existing studies on how to build comprehensive player models for personalizing gamified systems, recommending daily physical activities, or the long-term effectiveness of such gamified exercise-promoting systems. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to introduce a gamified, 24/7 fitness assistant system that provides personalized recommendations and generates gamified content targeted at individual users to bridge the aforementioned gaps. This research aims to investigate how to design gamified physical activity interventions to achieve long-term engagement. METHODS We proposed a comprehensive model for gamified fitness recommender systems that uses detailed and dynamic player modeling and wearable-based tracking to provide personalized game features and activity recommendations. Data were collected from 40 participants (23 men and 17 women) who participated in a long-term investigation on the effectiveness of our recommender system that gradually establishes and updates an individual player model (for each unique user) over a period of 60 days. RESULTS Our results showed the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed system, particularly for generating personalized exercise recommendations using player modeling. There was a statistically significant difference among the 3 groups (full, personalized, and gamified) for overall motivation (<i>F</i><sub>3,36</sub>=22.49; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), satisfaction (<i>F</i><sub>3,36</sub>=22.12; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), and preference (<i>F</i><sub>3,36</sub>=15.0; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), suggesting that both gamification and personalization have positive effects on the levels of motivation, satisfaction, and preference. Furthermore, qualitative results revealed that a customized storyline was the most requested feature, followed by a multiplayer mode, more quality recommendations, a feature for setting and tracking fitness goals, and more location-based features. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of these results and drawing from the gamer modeling literature, we conclude that personalizing recommendations using player modeling and gamification can improve participants’ engagement and motivation toward fitness activities over time. CLINICALTRIAL

scholarly journals Evaluating Outwards Regeneration Effects (OREs) in Neighborhood-Based Projects: A Reversal of Perspective and the Proposal for a New Tool

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10559
Author(s):  
Valeria Saiu
Keyword(s):  
Life Quality ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Important Field ◽  
The One ◽  
Effective Assessment ◽  
Quantitative Indicators

This paper proposes a reversal of perspective in the evaluation of Regeneration projects. Until now, attention has been mainly focused on project “internal effectiveness”, in reference to the environment and life quality improvement of the areas directly affected by the interventions. The effects induced in the wider urban context are rarely sufficiently analyzed. This aspect instead opens an important field of investigation, useful for a broader assessment of regeneration initiatives, especially with regards to Public Housing Neighborhoods where the long-term project success also depends on the positive effects it generates in the surroundings. Therefore, the aim of this research is to develop a conceptualization of “Outwards Regeneration Effects” (OREs), based on an extensive literature review, and to make it operational through a conceptual framework for the qualitative analysis. The results of this study, on the one hand, highlight several critical issues raised by the interventions implemented so far, and, on the other hand, provide a more effective assessment framework, useful in the evaluation of future projects. Further developments of such an approach could lead to the development of operational evaluation models, combining both qualitative and quantitative indicators, starting from the implementation of the proposed analytic framework.

scholarly journals Changes in forms of available nitrogen and respiration in soil of beech forest as a reaction to a deforestation resulting from wind storm

2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleš Kučera ◽  
Ladislav Holík ◽  
Karel Marosz ◽  
Antonín Martiník ◽  
Dušan Vavříček
Keyword(s):  
Beech Forest ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Available Nitrogen ◽  
Respiration Activity ◽  
Ammonium N ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The One ◽  
Long Term Observation ◽  
A Site

The article deals with the reaction of soil environment to a violent deforestation resulting from a wind storm. As a material, permanent inventory plot located in Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny was selected. The plot represents beech high forest, where soil was sampled from four types of sample plots: (1) maternal forest representing situation before the storm; (2) zone of transition from the maternal forest to the open area; (3) reafforested clearing; (4) natural evolution. From each sample plot type, 6 mixed samples of Ah horizon were analysed to assess N-ammonium (N-NH4+) and N-nitrates (NO3−) content and respiration activity. The results show a significant difference between the respiration activities of the particular sample plots, as well as a significant difference in the content of N-ammonium and N-nitrate forms, the maternal forest representing a site of the lowest biological (and respiration) activity on the one hand, and, on the other hand, site of high N-ammonium and low N-nitrate content, respectively. From the results, intensive nitrification caused by the deforestation is evident. The results are to be used as a starting level for a long-term observation of reaction of the forest beech ecosystem to deforestation and selected types of forest management.

scholarly journals Pregnant Supports on Hemodynamics Responses during Postural Changes and Daily Physical Activities: a randomized control trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunanya Masodsai ◽  
Sasipa Buranapuntulug ◽  
Parunchaya Jamkrajang ◽  
Pei-Ni Chen ◽  
Rungchai Chaunchaiyakul
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Blood Perfusion ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Blood Flows ◽  
Postural Changes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Daily Physical Activities

Abstract BackgroundPregnant supports have been designed to prevent structural deviations but may impair blood circulation of the lower limbs, in particular during the last trimester. In this study, we evaluate the effect of different pregnant supports on hemodynamics responses during postural changes and daily physical activities.MethodsTwelve last-trimester healthy pregnant women participated in this study. With randomized supports of casual wear (CW), pelvic band (PB), and pregnant pants (PP), subjects performed postural changes (standing and side lying using sitting as control), daily physical activities (climbing up and down stairs, lifting, sit-to-stand, and 10 min walking), and routine pregnant exercises. Hemodynamic responses including heart rate, blood pressure, stroke volume, cardiac output, local blood flow, and perfusion around the ankle were measured at the end of the 1st and 3rd minute after wearing pregnant supports.ResultsStanding position in CW group showed hemodynamic compensations via increasing diastolic blood pressure (DBP, 1st minute) and heart rate (HR, 3rd minute), whereas there were no significant changes in the PB and PP groups. Side lying position lowered cardiac responses in all groups, with higher blood perfusion in CW and PB, but not in PP. Cardiac variables, blood flows, and perfusions showed no significant difference among pregnant supports during daily physical activities, and routine pregnant exercises. The satisfaction evaluation on daily activities and routine exercises showed no difference among pregnant supports but the preferential pregnant support is PB.ConclusionIt can be concluded that PB offers similar hemodynamic adjustments during postural changes as casual wear. PB support is recommended for pregnant women for daily physical activities, as well as routine exercises. Trial registration: The trial is retrospectively registered in http://www.clinicaltrials.in.th (01/02/2021) with trial no: TCTR20210201003.

Challenges and Applications of Recommender Systems in E-Commerce

2021 ◽  
pp. 175-188
Author(s):  
Taushif Anwar ◽  
V. Uma ◽  
Md Imran Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Recommender Systems ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Recommender System ◽  
Recommendation System ◽  
Main Idea ◽  
Important Task ◽  
Significant Challenge ◽  
Online Business ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship

E-commerce and online business are getting too much attention and popularity in this era. A significant challenge is helping a customer through the recommendation of a big list of items to find the one they will like the most efficiently. The most important task of a recommendation system is to improve user experience through the most relevant recommendation of items based on their past behaviour. In e-commerce, the main idea behind the recommender system is to establish the relationship between users and items to recommend the most relevant items to the particular user. Most of the e-commerce websites such as Amazon, Flipkart, E-Bay, etc. are already applying the recommender system to assist their users in finding appropriate items. The main objective of this chapter is to illustrate and examine the issues, attacks, and research applications related to the recommender system.

Time for Health

A Child's Day ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 59-86
Author(s):  
Killian Mullan
Keyword(s):  
Screen Time ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
The Other ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity ◽  
Long Term Trends ◽  
Sport And Exercise ◽  
The One ◽  
Watching Tv ◽  
Widespread View

This chapter examines associations between children's time use and a range of different health outcomes. Concerns about the prevalence of obesity and being overweight among children, and associated health problems, have drawn attention to questions around whether children are spending too much time in sedentary screen-based activities on the one hand and not enough time in active physical activities on the other. Technological change has greatly enhanced the capacity for children to spend time in a wide variety of screen-based activities, and persistent concerns about children's safety outdoors have led to increasing restrictions on the time children spend outside. These factors have likely coalesced over recent decades, resulting in children leading lives that are less active and spent indoors focused on screens. The widespread view is that this is indeed the case. Considering the evidence for this, the chapter analyses long-term trends in screen time (comprised of time watching TV, using computers, and playing video games) alongside trends in physical activities such as sport and exercise, play outside the home, and active travel (walking and cycling).

scholarly journals Long-term experience with the one-and-a-half ventricle repair for simple and complex congenital heart defects

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 244-252
Author(s):  
Giulio Cabrelle ◽  
Biagio Castaldi ◽  
Luca Vedovelli ◽  
Dario Gregori ◽  
Vladimiro L Vida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Complex Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The One ◽  
Clinical Records

Abstract OBJECTIVES The one-and-a-half ventricle repair (1.5VR) is a surgical alternative to Fontan circulation or high-risk biventricular repair in patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) with a hypoplastic right ventricle (RV). We report our 25 years of experience to evaluate whether the degree of anatomical complexity of the CHD can affect long-term outcomes. METHODS This is a retrospective study including patients undergoing 1.5VR between 1994 and 2018. Clinical records and operative reports were reviewed. Follow-up data were collected from all survivors at the last evaluation or by phone contact. RESULTS Twenty-nine patients underwent 1.5VR [median age: 3.5 years, interquartile range (IQR) 0.8–7.8]. Fifteen patients had ‘simple’ (i.e. confined to right heart lesions) anatomical characteristics (48.3%); the median tricuspid valve annulus z-score was −3.5 (IQR −6.2 to +3.6). There were no operative deaths. The median hospital stay was 21 days (IQR 10–33), with postoperative complications in 21 patients (75.8%). At a median follow-up of 13.2 years (IQR 3.2–25.6 years; completeness 96.6%), there were 3 late deaths. There was no significant difference in survival and in freedom from adverse events between simple and complex anatomy groups. However, stress test findings showed a tendency towards a higher maximum oxygen uptake in the simple group (P = 0.055). CONCLUSIONS The 1.5VR strategy is an effective low-risk surgical option for patients with CHD with hypoplastic RV. When it is planned from birth, late outcomes can be satisfactory. In our experience, the presence of associated major cardiac anomalies was not associated with either worse early or long-term outcomes and functional status.

scholarly journals Recovery of Regular Daily Physical Activities Prevents Residual Dizziness after Canalith Repositioning Procedures

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 490
Author(s):  
Salvatore Martellucci ◽  
Andrea Stolfa ◽  
Andrea Castellucci ◽  
Giulio Pagliuca ◽  
Veronica Clemenzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Daily Activity ◽  
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Residual Symptoms ◽  
Positional Vertigo ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Observational Cohort ◽  
Daily Physical Activities ◽  
Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Objective: Residual dizziness is a disorder of unknown pathophysiology, which may occur after repositioning procedures for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This study evaluates the relationship between regular daily physical activity and the development of residual dizziness after treatment for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Study Design: Prospective observational cohort study. Setting: Academic university hospital. Methods: Seventy-one patients admitted with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo involving the posterior semicircular canal were managed with Epley’s procedure. Three days after successful treatment, the patients underwent a telephone interview to investigate vertigo relapse. If the patients no longer complained of vertigo, they were asked about symptoms consistent with residual dizziness. Subsequently, they were asked about the recovery of physical activities they regularly performed prior to the onset of vertigo. Results: Sixty-nine patients (age: 57.79 ± 15.05) were enrolled: five (7.24%) reported vertigo relapse whereas twenty-one of sixty-four non-relapsed patients (32.81%) reported residual dizziness. A significant difference in the incidence of residual dizziness was observed considering the patients’ age (p = 0.0003). Of the non-relapsed patients, 46 (71.88%) recovered their regular dynamic daily activities after treatment and 9 (19.57%) reported residual dizziness, while 12 of the 18 patients (66.67%) who did not resume daily activity reported residual symptoms (p = 0.0003). A logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between daily activity resumption and lack of residual dizziness (OR: 14.01, 95% CI limits 3.14–62.47; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Regardless of age, the resumption of regular daily physical activities is associated with a lack of residual dizziness.

scholarly journals PHAROS 2.0—A PHysical Assistant RObot System Improved

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (20) ◽  
pp. 4531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ester Martinez-Martin ◽  
Angelo Costa ◽  
Miguel Cazorla
Keyword(s):  
Recommender System ◽  
Temporal Evolution ◽  
Vision System ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Active Aging ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Time Performance ◽  
Daily Exercise ◽  
Cognitive Benefits ◽  
The One

There are great physical and cognitive benefits for older adults who are engaged in active aging, a process that should involve daily exercise. In our previous work on the PHysical Assistant RObot System (PHAROS), we developed a system that proposed and monitored physical activities. The system used a social robot to analyse, by means of computer vision, the exercise a person was doing. Then, a recommender system analysed the exercise performed and indicated what exercise to perform next. However, the system needed certain improvements. On the one hand, the vision system captured the movement of the person and indicated whether the exercise had been done correctly or not. On the other hand, the recommender system was based purely on a ranking system that did not take into account temporal evolution and preferences. In this work, we propose an evolution of PHAROS, PHAROS 2.0, incorporating improvements in both of the previously mentioned aspects. In the motion capture aspect, we are now able to indicate the degree of completeness of each exercise, identifying the part that has not been done correctly, and a real-time performance correction. In this way, the recommender system receives a greater amount of information and so can more accurately indicate the exercise to be performed. In terms of the recommender system, an algorithm was developed to weigh the performance, temporal evolution and preferences, providing a more accurate recommendation, as well as expanding the recommendation to a batch of exercises, instead of just one.

scholarly journals Land Consolidation as an Instrument of Shaping the Agrarian Structure in Poland: A Case Study of the Wielkopolskie and Dolnośląskie Voivodeships

2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 53-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iwona Markuszewska
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Land Consolidation ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The One ◽  
Regional Land ◽  
Formal Procedures ◽  
Agrarian Structure

Abstract Fragmentation of agricultural landscape is a specific feature of agrarian structure in Poland. Despite the fact that consolidation work has been carried out for years, the positive effects are still negligible. This is because land consolidation in Poland is encountering with a number of obstacles, which on the one hand, is cumbersome formal and legal policy, and on the other hand, disapproval of officials and farmers as well. These barriers unnecessarily prolong the proceeding, which is inherently long-term, sometimes takes years and not always is successfully completed. For this reason an effort was made to answer the question: how improving in land consolidation policy may look up the efficiency of land merging work in Poland? Two formal procedures were presented, on the basis of which land consolidation is carried out in two voivodeships: Wielkopolskie and Dolnośląskie. The study revealed the main obstacles and weaknesses in legal regulation. Additionally, open-interviews among farmers as well as local and regional land consolidation authorities, were undertaken. On the basis of the acquired data, a number of new suggestions to more successful land consolidation policy, were put forward. Finally, possible solutions to perk up the land unification work were established.

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