Overview of the project, relate this to the explanation on the Futurelab website (showcase area): video, flyer text and context paper.

1. Fizzees ( Phys ical E lectronic E nergiser s )

2. rationale Fizzees - “ Child obesity has doubled in a decade. Junk food and lack of exercise have created 'public health time-bomb'.” The Guardian Newspaper (22 April 2006) Research evidence: young people aged 2 - 19 * 40% boys and 60% of girls are doing less than 1 hours moderate exercise per day * 1/5 of boys and ¼ of girls are overweight or obese * The prevalence of obesity almost doubled among boys and increased by over a half among girls between 1995 and 2002. * One in 10 six-year-olds is obese . The total number of obese children has doubled since 1982. On present trends half of all children in England in 2020 could be obese . EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, 2005 Forecasting Obesity to 2006. DoH 2006

3. what is it? * Accurate, personal health data * Easily interpretable data (Fizzee’s maturation and appearance) * Always on, ‘situated learning’ game * Individual, motivating, encouraging, informative … applied understanding   Fizzees - A wearable technology that is a combination of dual sensor, processor, battery and screen. The screen shows a virtual pet (a Fizzee) that the young person is responsible for. The Fizzee’s maturation and health depends upon the actions of the young person .

4. Fitting physical activity into current lifestyles in relation to research into patterns of behaviour change. why this approach? * play video games (immersive, empathetic, motivational) * nurture virtual pets (Tamagotchi etc) * compete, compare and share with peers * aspectual shape (game, learning tool, digital pet) Fizzees - … applied understanding …

5. how it works Activity levels are monitored through a heart rate monitor and accelerometer, which have a direct impact on the Fizzee displayed on a wrist-worn device Fizzees - * Privileging the interplay between the dual sensors * Rewards for particular activity types, frequency, exertion etc * Rewards rest and a ‘dose response’ stops over-training X2 V Vig Mod X1.5 Vig Mod X1 Mod Mod X1 Low Mod Factor Heart rate Accelerometer

6. scoring Fizzees - * Based upon guidance from the UK Chief Medical Officer on recommended amounts of exercise for young people * Developed with UoB’s Department of Exercise and Health Sciences Governing principles * Based on personal, accurate health data * Personal calibration of equipment * Dual sensors for more accurate reading * Privileging the interplay between sensors * Discounting stress and excitement as signifiers of activity * Relationship between data becomes a factor in the scoring system * Programmable system

7. Supporting website Fizzees - * support resource – further motivation * highly visual and interactive * social networking & community elements * upload data, interrogate progress – day by day * Fizzee World : for related information e.g. healthy eating * contact & communicate with experts

8. research questions Fizzees - * is a Fizzee a motivating device? * does this ‘always on’ representation encourage more activity and/or improve understanding? * what additional impact does the review of one’s own and others’ avatar’s ‘health’ have? * can young people see a link between themselves and their Fizzee ? Does nurturing the avatar transfer into nurturing their own bodies…?

9. Research update: user trials “ The best bit is when… it’s got all the hearts and you just see the arms pop out!” – Joe, aged 11. Fizzees - * y5 & yr6 pupils from Headley Park Junior School * 2 separate 6 Day trials * pre, mid & post interviews * daily logs - emotional and physical response

10. Research update: user trials Fizzees - * children happy to wear the wrist device and chest strap, and to care for their Fizzee. * did not negatively interfere with time at school or at home. * all understood the concept of the character progression, * all showed awareness of the link between their Fizzee pet and their own level of physical activity. * enjoyed seeing their Fizzee grow, and increased the amount of exercise they took, as they wanted their pet to be happy “ I think it’s really good how the character changes” – Charlotte, aged 11 “ My other son wants one” – Meachelle, Joe’s mother