The smart device, which is currently under development, could one day track smokers who wear it and determine if they need help with their desire to quit.
Dubbed SmokeMon, the necklace currently consists of a fairly simple blue box hiding heat sensing technology, although over time it could be miniaturized to fit an elegant necklace that will suit every taste and every outfit.
And if you smoke, you probably already know that your habit not only puts your health at risk, but may also affect the health of those around you, possibly for generations to come.
Given the impact of cigarette smoking on public health, there are now many scientifically proven methods to get rid of this habit. As the experts learn more about the quit behavior of smokers, they can continue to formulate their advice on how to move forward.
The monitoring device is being developed by researchers at Northwestern University in the US to help smokers quit by understanding smoking habits that may indicate a return to old practices.
“For many people who are trying to quit smoking, a fall causes a person to smoke one or two cigarettes or even one puff,” said senior author Nabil El Shorafa, a behavioral and computer scientist at Northwestern University. is not a relapse (return to smoking). “Everyone can learn from failure by realizing that he did not fail, he just had a temporary failure. To avoid bad luck, we can then start shifting his focus to how to deal with his triggers and deal with cravings.”
The main benefit of this new technology is that it detects smoker behavior more accurately and discreetly than other typical devices.
The battery-powered device uses thermal sensors to detect the heat emitted from the tip of a lit cigarette and collects information about each cigarette. These measurements include details such as the number of puffs taken, the amount of smoke inhaled, and the time between puffs.
Nineteen people took part in the study, and the scientists observed their smoking while wearing the device for 115 sessions both in laboratory and in real conditions. Testing the device outside of the lab allowed the team to determine whether smokers were uncomfortable wearing the necklace in public and reported any reactions from passers-by.
The researchers used a machine learning algorithm to process the data and compared the performance and usability of SmokeMon to the “gold standard” smoking monitoring device. It is called the CReSS pocket.
Measurements recorded with SmokeMon showed similar accuracy compared to the handheld CReSS device, and participants’ responses to post-experiment questionnaires were promising.
Most participants reported that it did not interfere with their daily life or smoking, and they did not worry about being disturbed or infringing on the privacy of themselves or those around them.
One member stated, “I had a friend who asked what this device records, and he seemed satisfied when I told him it didn’t record audio or video.”
The researchers say their findings point to “big promise” for using thermal imaging cameras to help smokers quit, but say they need more data. They note that there are also limitations, such as how performance can be affected when smokers are in cold environments.
To facilitate future research aimed at explaining or evaluating smoking, the researchers have provided an open source data processing platform.
The study was published in Proceedings of ACM is dedicated to interactive, mobile, wearable and inclusive technologies.
Source: Science Alert
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