Visibility of Wearable Sensors as Measured Using Eye Tracking Glasses

Abstract

Sensor technologies can enable independent living for people with dementia by monitoring their behaviour and identifying points where support may be required. Wearable sensors can provide such support but may constitute a source of stigma for the user if they are perceived as visible and therefore obtrusive. This paper presents an initial empirical investigation exploring the extent to which wearable sensors are perceived as visible. 23 Participants wore eye tracking glasses, which superimposed the location of their gaze onto video data of their panorama. Participants were led to believe that the research entailed a subjective evaluation of the eye tracking glasses. A researcher wore one of two wearable sensors during the evaluation enabling us to measure the extent to which participants fixated on the sensor during a one-on-one meeting. Results are presented on the general visibility and potential fixations on two wearable sensors, a wrist-work actigraph and a lifelogging camera, during normal conversation between two people. Further investigation is merited according to the results of this pilot study. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2013.