The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is not diminishing without vaccine, but it impinges on human safety and economy can be minimized by adopting smart technology to combat pandemic situation. ...The implementation of new innovations and novel tactics has proven to be effective in curbing the risk of COVID-19. The present study covers the role of smart technology in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 with specific focus on advancement in the field of drone, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), mask, and sensor technology. The findings shed light on the robotics and drone technology-driven approaches that have been applied for assisting health system, surveillance, and disinfection process, etc. The AI technology strategies and framework is highlighted in terms of bulk data computing, predicting infection threats, providing medical assistance, and analyzing diagnosis results. Besides this, the technological shift in mask and sensor technology during the pandemic have been illustrated, which includes fabrication method like 3D printing and optical sensing, respectively. Furthermore, the strength, weakness, opportunities, and possible threats that have been shaped by the rigorous implementation of these technologies are also covered in detail.
Purpose of review The interest in and availability of app-based psycho-oncological interventions for cancer survivors has grown rapidly. In this narrative review, we therefore aim to provide an ...overview of the psychological content features included in psycho-oncological apps and how the content is implemented in the apps. Recent findings A total of 19 studies (six randomized controlled trials, six studies with prepost design, five study protocols and two app developments), all published in the last 18 months (July 2020 to December 2021), were analyzed in terms of the described app-based interventions and their psycho-oncological content. Apps for cancer survivors are conducted for a variety of different diagnoses and often target a specific patient population, for example patients with a specific therapy. The most frequent content features are psychoeducation, self-monitoring of symptoms, and some sort of exercise or relaxation program. Depending on the app's purpose, some offer specific content, such as decision aids, medication schedules or modules to improve coping strategies. Most apps combine informative and interactive elements. Summary Psycho-oncological apps for cancer survivors target many relevant psychological problem areas and aim to improve patient empowerment. Available mHealth interventions can therefore be seen as a good complement for cancer care and also offer the possibility to improve patient involvement.
Augmented reality is a ground-breaking technology that allows users to communicate with an enticing real-world experience to receive messages or knowledge. Today, mask inspection is essential to ...relay information to society through an augmented reality where extensive information about masks is required and identifying them is challenging. Furthermore, with augmented reality, society may have access to the fascinating way of getting information on the masks, assisting in spreading knowledge, particularly during this pandemic. The augmented reality on a visual inspection mask (ARVIM) was created utilizing 3D images on an Android smartphone platform. The models were created using Blender Animation and Unity 3D software. Vuforia Engine and Android Studio applications were used to build a personalized mobile Augmented Reality application. Google Cloud was used to store data that are accessible to users. ARVIM has facilitated teaching and interaction with 3D AR effects enjoyable for users. The analysis results on the use of ARVIM revealed that ARVIM obtained a high easiness rating of 80%. While 83% of respondents say ARVIM can help distinguish between different types of masks, 88% of respondents agreed that ARVIM's design is acceptable and approachable. This initiative enhances society's education in interactive and mixed-reality innovation settings through a long-distance and innovative teaching method that gives a comprehensive Google Platform experience.
Problem definition
:
Initial product design decisions are critically important for mobile apps, which show a relatively short time from launch to peak usage, thus providing a narrow window for ...success and no time for course correction based on market reaction. Mobile apps are designed using a highly modular architecture based on software development kits (SDKs), with SDK choices being sequentially determined along three dimensions—
multiplicity
(total number of SDKs),
compatibility
(SDK co-occurrence frequency), and
novelty
(SDK degree of newness to the developer). We evaluate the consequence of these decisions on initial market success in the context of mobile gaming app design.
Academic/practical relevance
:
The resulting conceptual framework aids developers in determining the modularity of digital product development.
Methodology
:
We formulate an instrumental variables least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model to estimate relationships of interest using a proprietary data set extracted from the application programming interface server of a leading mobile apps intelligence firm.
Results
:
We find a negative impact of SDK multiplicity on initial success. High SDK compatibility can mitigate this negative effect, whereas high SDK novelty can exacerbate the negative effect of multiplicity. Post hoc analysis shows that business-to-consumer (B2C) communication features can also mitigate this negative impact.
Managerial implications
:
Prior product modularity research has predominantly focused on physical products or relied on single-dimensional modularity measures. Our study conceptualizes modularity as multidimensional and investigates how these multidimensional SDK-based modularity choices impact the performance of a key category of digital products—mobile apps. We demonstrate that increasing multiplicity, essential in certain markets, negatively affects initial success. However, firms can enhance SDK compatibility, reduce SDK novelty, and use B2C communication channels to mitigate this negative impact.
Supplemental Material:
The online appendix is available at
https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.1181
.
Purpose
This purpose of this paper is to evaluate Millennials’ intention to use service mobile apps and assess gender as a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
An extended technology acceptance ...model framework that includes information quality and self-efficacy guides this research. PLS-SEM is used to evaluate the data and test the hypotheses.
Findings
The study reveals that information quality, self-efficacy, perceived ease of use and usefulness, and attitude influence Millennials’ intentions to use service mobile apps. Additionally, gender is found to partially moderate the results.
Practical implications
Service companies that rely on mobile apps to deliver services ought to consider the disparities among the Millennial generation, increasing the likelihood that Millennial customers will adopt service mobile apps and that they receive acceptable customer experiences.
Originality/value
This paper examines the factors influencing adoption and use of service mobile apps among Millennials and examines gender as a moderator. Additionally, guidelines for service mobile app design are included.
Healthy eating and fitness mobile apps are designed to promote healthier living. However, for young people, body dissatisfaction is commonplace, and these types of apps can become a source of ...maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors. Furthermore, such apps are designed to promote continuous engagement, potentially fostering compulsive behaviors.
The aim of this study was to identify potential risks around healthy eating and fitness app use and negative experience and behavior formation among young people and to inform the understanding around how current commercial healthy eating and fitness apps on the market may, or may not, be exasperating such behaviors.
Our research was conducted in 2 phases. Through a survey (n=106) and 2 workshops (n=8), we gained an understanding of young people's perceptions of healthy eating and fitness apps and any potential harm that their use might have; we then explored these further through interviews with experts (n=3) in eating disorder and body image. Using insights drawn from this initial phase, we then explored the degree to which leading apps are preventing, or indeed contributing to, the formation of maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors. We conducted a review of the top 100 healthy eating and fitness apps on the Google Play Store to find out whether or not apps on the market have the potential to elicit maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors.
Participants were aged between 18 and 25 years and had current or past experience of using healthy eating and fitness apps. Almost half of our survey participants indicated that they had experienced some form of negative experiences and behaviors through their app use. Our findings indicate a wide range of concerns around the wider impact of healthy eating and fitness apps on individuals at risk of maladaptive eating and exercise behavior, including (1) guilt formation because of the nature of persuasive models, (2) social isolation as a result of personal regimens around diet and fitness goals, (3) fear of receiving negative responses when targets are not achieved, and (4) feelings of being controlled by the app. The app review identified logging functionalities available across the apps that are used to promote the sustained use of the app. However, a significant number of these functionalities were seen to have the potential to cause negative experiences and behaviors.
In this study, we offer a set of responsibility guidelines for future researchers, designers, and developers of digital technologies aiming to support healthy eating and fitness behaviors. Our study highlights the necessity for careful considerations around the design of apps that promote weight loss or body modification through fitness training, especially when they are used by young people who are vulnerable to the development of poor body image and maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors.
This article discusses how we can locate and understand infrastructural power in mobile infrastructures for datafication through dissecting third-party tracking via so-called software development ...kits (SDKs). As key material components of mobile infrastructures, SDKs enable app functionality, security, and access to data collection and use by third-party services. However, the methods for investigating SDKs and mobile datafication in general are fragile and in urgent need of development and critical discussion. We explore and discuss methodological pathways for understanding power in the mobile ecosystem. Through exemplifying empirical interventions, derived from a sample of 1129 apps used by 69 Danes participating in the Datafied Living research project, we investigate and discuss how Apple and Alphabet hold infrastructural power and perpetually consolidate their effective mobile duopoly while simultaneously protecting and enhancing their assets in related data markets (e.g. through mobile advertising). We argue that the current infrastructures for mobile datafication impede transparency, systematic democratic monitoring, and ultimately regulation while also limiting the critical capabilities of researchers, as well as open source and hacker environments who must constantly adjust their counter- intelligence measures and tools.
Patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) must adhere to a nutritional therapy characterized by a restrictive dietary scheme. Nutritional self-care can be enhanced through the use of nutritional ...apps. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of specific nutritional apps for chronic renal failure available in Italy.
A systematic search of mobile apps was conducted by two academic researchers in three Italian App stores: Google Play Store, Apple Store and Huawei AppGallery. Of the 1602 apps identified, 2 apps (Miku; MyFIR) were evaluated with the Italian version of a Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS-ITA) by a multidisciplinary team of 20 professionals.
The study found that the two selected apps, available in the Google Play Store and Apple Store, aim to increase well-being through the acquisition of knowledge and behavioral change; but none identify health goals that should be achieved. The strategies used by the two applications are: information, education, monitoring and cognitive-behavioral challenge. The technical analysis showed adequate protection of personal data but only the most downloaded app (Miku) provides the possibility to share content, to send reminders and to browse when offline.
The main Italian app stores have two applications to monitor physical health and nutrition in patients with renal disease. Although these are free, easily accessible, navigable and valid in terms of health monitoring and information, greater availability of the offer would be desirable.
Las redes sociales se han convertido en un contexto de gran influencia en la socialización, el aprendizaje y la formación de la personalidad de infantes y adolescentes. El presente trabajo parte de ...dos objetivos. Por un lado, conocer la prevalencia de uso de redes sociales en una muestra de preadolescentes españoles, analizando qué redes sociales usan más y posibles diferencias en función del género. Por otro lado, conocer a quién siguen y qué tipo de contenidos ven en las redes sociales, analizando también posibles diferencias entre ellos y ellas. Para ello, se aplicó un cuestionario de autoinforme sobre uso de redes sociales a 548 estudiantes (49.7% chicas) de 6º de Educación Primaria (10-13 años). Los resultados obtenidos muestran un uso generalizado de las redes sociales en estas edades. Principalmente se usan aplicaciones que permiten compartir y ver vídeos, así como aplicaciones de mensajería instantánea. El patrón de uso muestra resultados congruentes con los roles de género tradicionales. Los chicos siguen más que las chicas publicaciones sobre deporte o videojuegos. Las chicas siguen más que los chicos publicaciones sobre música, moda, salud/belleza, política, arte y famosos. Las chicas siguen a través de redes sociales a familiares, en mayor medida que los chicos. Se discuten las principales implicaciones educativas de estos resultados.
Improving HIV screening in key populations is a crucial strategy to achieve the goal of eliminating AIDS in 2030. Social networking platforms can be used to recruit high risk-taking men who have sex ...with men (MSM) to promote the delivery of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) as mobile HIV testing. Therefore, client recruitment and availability of mobile HIV testing through social networking platforms requires further evaluation.
The aim of this study is to compare the effects of targeting high risk-taking MSM and HIV case finding between two mobile HIV testing recruitment approaches: through the traditional website-based approach and through social networking platforms.
A comparative study design and propensity score matching was applied. The traditional VCT model, that is, the control group, recruited MSM through a website, and a trained research assistant visited the walk-in testing station at a gay village on Friday and Saturday nights. The social networking VCT model, the experimental group, recruited MSM from social networking platforms by periodically reloading into and conducting web-based discussions on dating apps and Facebook. The participants then referred to others in their social networks via a popular messenger app in Taiwan. The test was conducted at a designated time and place during weekdays by a trained research assistant. Across both modes of contact, before the mobile HIV testing, participants needed to provide demographic characteristics and respond to a questionnaire about HIV risk-taking behaviors.
We recruited 831 MSM over 6 months, with a completion rate of 8.56% (616/7200) in the traditional VCT model and 20.71% (215/1038) in the social networking VCT model. After propensity score matching, there were 215 MSM in each group (mean age 29.97, SD 7.61 years). The social networking model was more likely to reach MSM with HIV risk-taking behaviors, that is, those seeking sexual activity through social media, having multiple sexual partners and unprotected anal intercourse, having experience of recreational drug use, and never having or not regularly having an HIV test, compared with the traditional model. HIV positive rates (incidence rate ratio 3.40, 95% CI 1.089-10.584; P=.03) and clinic referral rates (incidence rate ratio 0.03, 95% CI 0.001-0.585; P=.006) were significantly higher among those in the social networking VCT model than in the traditional VCT model.
Through effective recruitment strategies on social networking platforms, the social networking VCT mode can be smoothly promoted, as compared with the traditional VCT model, to target high risk-taking MSM and increase testing outcomes.
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