e-Gibalec: Mobile application to monitor and encourage physical activity in schoolchildren

Abstract

We present the e-Gibalec system, designed to encourage schoolchildren towards a more active lifestyle. The system consists of a mobile application that, through sensors built into the smartphone, detects children’s physical activity and rewards them in a game-like manner. It also consists of a web application that allows the parents and physical education teachers to look at the children’s physical activity history, so they can further motivate them if needed. We discuss the motivational mechanisms employed in the system, provide an evaluation of the accuracy of the activity-recognition component, and present a pilot study that measured the effect of our system on a sample schoolchildren population.