Foodtracker
The goal of this research project is to develop and test a mobile platform to help people make intelligent food intake decisions. Mobile platforms provide several advantages over traditional methods of obtaining diet-related information and recommendations (i.e. face-to-face diet counseling or information websites) including real-time and continuous communication capabilities, and a speedy, flexible, and a user-friendly customizable interface that provides tailored feedback independent of time and location.
Research suggests that interventions using mobile health (mHealth) and electronic health (eHealth) technologies hold great promise for influencing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to diet and physical activity. However, very little research has empirically tested the potential of interactive technologies to address impact dietary behavior. While recent mobile- and Internet-based research on electronic health care focus on the creation and use of new devices and ubiquitous access to information, this research aims to include mobile technology’s location-awareness and different views and interaction options for age- and gender-specific profiles.
Faculty supervisors
Thienne Johnson, Research Associate, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering & Department of Computer Science
Melanie Hingle, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Alon Efrat, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science
Past Collaborators
2012-2013, Jorge Vergara, Undergraduate Student, Department of Computer Science*
2012-2013, Madison Kramer, Undergraduate Student, Department of Nutritional Science*
2012-2013, Chelsea Louise Doll, Undergraduate Student, Department of Nutritional Science*
2012-2013, Gayathri Sundararaman, Graduate Student, Department of Computer Science
2013, Harsha vardhan Rajendran, Graduate Student, Department of Computer Science
*Undergraduate Students funded by CREU (Collaborative Research Experience for Undergraduates), CRA-W; project website: http://foodtrackerCREU.cs.arizona.edu