Overview of technology and tools for gaining insight on yourself (personal analytics). Meetup presentation

1. How to get insight on yourself?
Tools for personal analytics
By Gene Leybzon

2. Personal Informatics
“Personal informatics is a class of tools that
help people collect personally relevant
information for the purpose of self-reflection
and self-monitoring“
[from http://www.personalinformatics.org/]

3. What we want to know?
• Common behavior
• Habits
• Thoughts
• Feelings

4. Why? (Motivation)
• To improve health
– Cure or manage health condition
– Achieve a specific goal
– Find triggers
• To improve quality of life
– Maximize performance
– Mindfulness
• To find new experiences

5. How?
Data
Collection
Data
Analysis
Data
Visualization
Notification

6. Data Collection
• Sensors (Fitbit, WiFi-scale, heart rate monitor)
• Spreadsheets
• Applications (including mobile apps)
• Pen and paper
• Web sites

7. Sensors and Devices
• Activity Monitors
– FitBit
– Nike+ Fuel Band
– Pebble
• Sleep monitors
– Lark
– WakeMate
• Diet
– FirBit Aria scale
– MyFitnessPal
• Mood
• Other
– 23andMe (genetic)
– WorkMeter
– OmniCOntext

8. Data Analysis
• Statistical software
• Mathematica
• Custom apps for data analysis

9. Visualizations
• Web sites
– Fitbit
– ZAO
– Quantified Mind
• Excel
• Applications

10. Quantified Self Mobile apps