LivingLabs as Innovation Enabler – A Wearable Computing Case Study

Dr. Michael Boronowsky

Managing Director

TZI – Universität Bremen

Mobile Research Center

Overview

Living Labs Motivation – Some Thoughts

Innovation for Collaborative Working Environments The European Integrated Project wearIT@work

Wearable Computing and Living Labs – Synergy at Work

Hospital Case Study

Conclusions

Living Labs - Some Thoughts

“The innovation process is not seen as any linear, sequential process, […], but more a strongly parallel and interdisciplinary process, where the

technology and disciplines crossroads are the source of innovation. […] systemic innovation, […] can be fostered by real world verification

environments and trials, with so called living labs”.

Isidro Laso Ballesteros and Bror Salmelin. AMI-endowed Collaboration@Work. In Ambient Intelligence 237 G. Riva, F. Vatalaro, F. Davide, M. Alcañiz (Eds.) IOS Press, 2005

Innovation is a Complex Process Not only the realization of a „good“ idea Requires a network of different views and experiences

Innovation is a well balanced mixture Requires deep technological skills considering Organizational and social aspects Understanding of “real needs” and requirements from the real world are needed

Early involvement of the user is essential Already within the project definition phase

Living LabsSome Thoughts

User Involvement and User Centered Design long history in social science (e.g. Action Research, K. Levin, 1947)Positive effects proven by many research projects Several methodologies focusing on the intensive dialog with the end user (AR,

PAR, JAD, PD, …)

However: Current State in Industrial System design (most often)User involvement is considered to be too expensive Innovation is mainly

driven by technologiesTechnological challenges are feeding the spirit of engineeringUser involvement is achieved when the unions, staff association or company

physicians are involved

Living LabsMotivation

Living Labs should not be considered as pure methodology, it should be understand as an European movement!

Developing and operating strategies to “Let it Happen” Increase the understanding for the need of a holistic user

centric innovation process Establish Living Labs as a leading paradigm for innovation -

within the collaborative working environments and beyond

Carried out as public private partnership Making the user a co-creator Involving and committing the important stakeholders from the beginning Create awareness and mobilize support on different levels

Facts and Figures of the EU Integrated Project wearIT@work

Managed by the TZI within the Mobile Research Center Bremen Consortium: 36 partners from

14 European countries Size: (12 > 5000, 3 < 5000, 15 SME, 6 Government)

Duration of 4,5 years 170 person years of total effort

(start by June 2004) 24 M€ overall budget,

14,5 M€ funded by European Union

The Consortium (Selected Partners)

Display in the field of vision

Computer – worn at the body

Hands free

Wireless communication

Information Technology at WorkWearable Computing

Wearable Computing and Living Labs – Synergy at WorkWearable Computing: is practical and also by definition user centric needs a systemic innovation process, tends to renew a complex

system is unusual, revolutionary but feasible is fragile regarding social acceptance requires the primary task in the “real world” is still subject of intensive research (also fundamental)

The wearIT@work-project is following the ideas of Living Lab

Hospital Living Lab at GESPAG AustriaResearch Approach

On-Site Studies in the hospital Observation of typical working days Video and audio recording were used for discussions with the end users

“Scenario writing” workshops to identify relevant application areas The morning ward round was selected

Mock-Up studies to enable user experience with “unusual” devices Head Mounted Displays, Wrist Worn Displays, Wearable Devices, Body Worn

Sensors, PDA, Tablet PCs, etc.

Interview with stakeholders and feedback on observations

Hospital Use CaseUser “Pain Chain”

Online Access to patient health records Latest up to date information More efficient scheduling of resources Expected to have a more accurate and faster treatment

Decrease unnecessary paper and administrative work Stronger focus on medical issues Time for caretaking of the patients Expected to improve the recovery processes of the patients

The workshops findings put a focus on the collaboration/interaction between physicians, nurses, other staff members and the patient

It was understood that through wearable computing a faster and more efficient knowledge sharing could be achieved

The workshops findings put a focus on the collaboration/interaction between physicians, nurses, other staff members and the patient

It was understood that through wearable computing a faster and more efficient knowledge sharing could be achieved

Hospital Use CaseUser Requirements

Hands free use on demandMode change in a short period of time

Content DisplayAble to present different types of contents

Patient identificationAutomatically identification of patients close to the physician

Voice RecordingsVoice messages have to be recorded, send or processed

Device Placement In reach but no contamination

(Hospital Video 2’32”)

Hospital Living Lab Team

• Doctors, nurses and IT-Departement, Gespag hospial Steyr

• IT-Provider, Systema

• System Integrator, Team

• Technology oriented research, UMIT

• Social science research, SAP

Hospital Use CaseFindings

The system was positively perceived by the users Feedback from the physicians addressed benefits

The unobtrusiveness of the system and interfaces was a major aspect for the acceptance

The Gesture interface was seen as a good idea Implemented gestures were to clumsy and were not accepted

Stability problems of the system The System was still to complex

To many systems involved; dependencies between subsystems; inhomogeneous hardware setup

Hospital Use CaseConclusions

Typical ward rounds take 20 minutes for 20 patients and 1 hour work in the back officeMore time at the patients bed is required, The disliked office work was reduced drasticallyExpected increase of productivity by 50%

Experience from the first demonstrators has improved the team workSystem has become more stable and reliableUsers provided new application areasStrong interest from user side to improve the system (e.g. find better

gestures or extension of the system

Thank you for your attention!

Contact:Dr. Michael BoronowskyTZI – Universität Bremenmb@tzi.de+49 421 218-7272

Mrs. Merkel on the TZI-Booth on CeBIT2003