Pervasive Sensing in Healthcare: From Observing and Collecting to Seeing and Understanding
In Proc. of WISH, Workshop on Interactive System for Healthcare, CHI 2017, (2017)Abstract
From analyzing complex socio-technical systems, to evaluating novel interactions, increasingly pervasive sensing technologies provide researchers with new ways to observe the world. This paradigm shift is enabling capture of richer and more diverse data, combining elements from in-depth study of activity and behavior with modern sensors, and providing the means to accelerate sense-making of complex behavioral data. At the same time novel multimodal signal processing and machine learning techniques are equipping us with 'super powers' that enable understanding of these data in real-time, opening up new opportunities for embracing the concept of 'Data Science in the Wild'. In this paper we present what this transition means in the context of Health and Healthcare, focusing on how it leads to the 'UbiScope', a ubiquitous computing microscope for detecting particular health conditions in real-time, promoting reflection on care, and guiding medical practices. Just as the microscope supported key scientific advances, the UbiScope will act as a proxy for understanding and supporting human activity and inform specific interventions in the years ahead.