Work or Workout? Designing Interactive Technology for Workplace Fitness Promotion - this summarize my entire Ph.D. research on office vitality between 2016 and 2018. For research detail, please check ShuttleKicker+, HealthSit, LightSit, and Step-by-Step.

(a) the ‘prolonger’ accumulated sedentary time (dark areas of the bar) in the rest of the day, while (b) the ‘breaker’ interrupted the sedentary time with some mini-exercises (bright areas). In my Ph.D. research, I investigated technologies to support the transition from (a) to (b).

The diagram shows an overview of the main research and design directions in workplace fitness interventions and fitness-promoting technologies.

The researchdirections and types of technologies are synthesized in two foci in my project: (a) health informatics for improving health awareness and reflection; (b) motion-based interactive systems for facilitating physically active behaviors.

In my project, we developed several fitness-promoting technologies and blended them into work routines to support micro-breaks (self-regulation) and fitness-boosting breaks (social/organizational levels).

Design implications derived based on several user studies

For the next step, we look forward to developing a smart office environment based on all the designs from my Ph.D. project and similar technologies, to shift the workplace culture towards a healthier and more active scenario.