Living with Data: Exploring Physicalization Approaches to Sedentary Behavior Intervention for the Elderly

2025-09-13

AI Summary

Prolonged sedentary behavior poses significant health risks for older adults; however, existing screen-based digital interventions suffer from low clinical engagement and poor adherence. This paper introduces a novel paradigm for home-based health intervention grounded in *data physicalization*: we design tangible artifacts characterized by aesthetic ambiguity and gradual, time-based morphological transformation—translating sedentary data into slow-changing, ambient aesthetic forms embedded within domestic environments to support embodied perception and family co-engagement. Employing *Research through Design*, we iteratively developed tactile prototypes, deployed them longitudinally in participants’ homes, and conducted qualitative analysis to achieve contextualized data expression and seamless integration into daily life. Empirical findings demonstrate that the intervention effectively fosters sustained self-reflection among older adults, stimulates intergenerational health dialogue, and naturally facilitates behavioral adaptation—thereby validating the physicalization approach as a promising strategy for enhancing health agency and human-centered appropriateness in aging populations.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices
• Intelligent Robots: Embodied AI
• Application Domains: Humanities & Computational Social Science

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Studies of user behavior, including longitudinal effects of personalized systems
• Security and Privacy: Data transparency and provenance
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy

Abstract

Sedentary behavior is a critical health risk for older adults. While digital interventions exist, they often rely on screen-based notifications that feel clinical and are easily ignored. This paper presents a Research through Design inquiry into data physicalization as a humane alternative. We designed and deployed tangible artifacts that ambiently represent sedentary patterns in older adults' homes. These artifacts transform abstract data into aesthetic, evolving forms, becoming part of the domestic landscape. Through a long-term in-situ study, our analysis reveals these physicalizations fostered self-reflection, family conversations, and prompted reflection on activity. Our work contributes empirical design principles for tangible health interventions that are both evocative and actionable. We demonstrate how qualities like aesthetic ambiguity and slow revelation can empower older adults, fostering a reflective relationship with their wellbeing. We argue this approach signals a necessary shift from merely informing users to enabling them to live with and through their data.

Problem

• Addressing sedentary behavior risks in elderly through physicalization
• Designing tangible artifacts for ambient sedentary data representation
• Fostering self-reflection and activity awareness via aesthetic data forms

Innovation

• Data physicalization replaces screen notifications
• Tangible artifacts ambiently represent sedentary patterns
• Aesthetic ambiguity fosters reflective wellbeing relationship