Among their New Year’s resolutions, many will have aimed for a healthier lifestyle. For example, following a healthy diet, or quitting smoking. To help with the notoriously difficult latter, smartwatches could prove valuable allies. A recent study carried out by researchers at the University of Bristol ensures that, with specific technology, these devices could reduce relapses and help quit this bad habit once and for all.
How do they work? smartwatch?
In it study published on the platform Jmir Formative Research, The researchers developed a software special that uses motion sensors in the smart watch to identify typical hand movements when smoking a cigarette or any other device, thus helping people not to fall into temptation again. If the application detects that the person is smoking, the smartwatch begins to vibrate and send messages of motivation and prevention: “Quitting smoking is good for you,” while other notifications show a count of how many cigarettes have been smoked and the number of puffs taken that day.
To test the technology, they had the participation of 18 people who smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day.who were willing to quit smoking. They were asked to bring a smartwatch equipped with the personalized application, for a period of two weeks. At the end of the study, the majority of participants stated that the smart watch intervention helped them reflect on their smoking habit, and therefore smoke less due to the constant encouragement. Specifically, 66% of participants stated that it was acceptable to wear the smartwatch with the software motion sensorwhile 61% said the content of the messages was relevant to them. Using a smartwatch as a tool to help change bad habits and prevent relapse was considered helpful for the majority of smokers.
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More evidence of effectiveness
This technology is entirely based on the technology of smartwatchesthat is, it does not require pairing with a phone. “For anyone trying to quit smoking, the first mistake is a vulnerable moment and risks leading to a complete relapse to smoking. People like to receive a message at the moment they are smoking a cigarette” , explains Chris Stone, researcher at the Bristol Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group and the Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Program (ICEP). He adds that if the point of relapse is identified and precise intervention is provided, the opportunity to quit smoking will be greater.
The next step will be to further investigate the long-term effectiveness of this new technology, which could use a wider range of prevention-related messages: “Smoking is the leading cause of cancer in the UK, quitting completely is the best for your health. This study shows that smartwatches “They could be a useful booster, but more research is needed to understand their true effectiveness,” concludes Alizée Froguel, head of prevention policy at Cancer Research UK.
Article originally published in WIRED Italy, Adapted by Alondra Flores.
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