The IBM company and the Jagiellonian University Institute of Applied Psychology are working on Jane AI application, which will play the role of a personal coach. By analyzing physical activity data from the users’ mobile phones, it will motivate them to do regular exercise. The app is based on IBM Watson cognitive system.
Recent research has shown that every third Pole does not undertake physical activity at all (TNS, Poland, September 2015) and the existing applications and devices tracking fitness progress are of little help. A study by Endeavour Partners company indicated that 30 percent of users stop using them after half a year.
These data led IBM programmers and JU psychologists to undertake a joint research project aimed at finding a simple and easily available way of encouraging people to exercise. The collaboration resulted in the development of Jane AI app, which, with the help of Watson Conversation software interface, uses the natural language of the speaker and recognises conversation topics as well as the intention of an utterance.
Jane AI is designed to encourage its users to increase their physical activity and adopt healthy habits. The app operates on the basis of such information as the number of steps made and the distance covered during a given day, the burnt calories or the user’s current location, needed to gather weather data. Besides, by analysing posts published on social media, the app is even able to indentify the user’s mood, motivation level or personal goals and accordingly encourage him or her to undertake physical activity. The communication strategies employed by the app are based on vast knowledge from the field of psychology, including the attitude change theory, influence theory, and personality analysis.
The data gathered during the project will be used by researchers from the JU and IBM to analyse health-related behaviour patterns.
The pilot stage of the project will start as soon as 100 participants are admitted. It will take about 10 weeks.
More information on Jane AI project is available on its official website.
