Our objective is to enable the blind to use smartphones with touchscreens to make calls and to send text messages (sms) with ease, speed, and accuracy. We believe that with our proposed platform, which enables the blind to locate the position of the keypads, new games and education, and safety applications will be increasingly developed for the blind. This innovative idea can also be implemented on tablets for the blind, allowing them to use information websites such as Wikipedia and newspaper portals.
Visually Impaired Persons ; Cell Phones ; Inventions

Three of ten teenagers in Korea are addicted to mobile phones. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mobile phone addiction and the incidence of poor sleep quality and short sleep duration in adolescents. We used longitudinal data from the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute in Korea (2011–2013). A total of 1,125 students at baseline were included in this study after excluding those who already had poor sleep quality or short sleep duration in the previous year. A generalized estimating equation was used to analyze the data. High mobile phone addiction (mobile phone addiction score > 20) increased the risk of poor sleep quality but not short sleep duration. We suggest that consistent monitoring and effective intervention programs are required to prevent mobile phone addiction and improve adolescents' sleep quality.
Adolescent* ; Cell Phones* ; Child* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Longitudinal Studies*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of variations in arm swing during gait on movement of the trunk and pelvis. During the gait task, the angle of the trunk and pelvic rotation were analyzed according to arm swing conditions. METHODS: Seventeen healthy males participated in this study. All subjects were analyzed for gait on a treadmill three times each under three different types of arm swing conditions – natural arm swing, restricted arm swing using a phone, restricted swing in both arms. 3-D motion analysis systems were used to collect and analyze the kinematic data of trunk and pelvic movements, and repeated one-way ANOVA was used to compare the trunk and pelvic kinematic data and symmetry index. The level of significance was α=0.05. RESULTS: The results showed kinematic differences in trunk and pelvic during gait based on the arm swing conditions. Specifically, there were significant differences in trunk rotation, left and right trunk rotation and symmetry index of trunk rotation during gait among the three arm swing conditions. ROM was used to calculate a symmetry index (SI) based on the average left and right trunk rotation in which a value closer to zero indicated better balance. The SI obtained for arm swing restricted with the phone was closer to –1 than the other conditions. CONCLUSION: Restricted arm swing due to use of a phone had the possibility to induce instability of postural control while walking, which could be seen to suggest a risk of falling during gait.
Accidental Falls ; Arm* ; Cell Phones* ; Gait ; Humans ; Male ; Pelvis* ; Walking

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to develop mobile phone application for image-based dietary assessment and evaluate satisfaction regarding respondent's use of the mobile phone application. METHODS: We developed a mobile phone application to assess dietary intakes using 24 hour dietary recall. After initial development, application was reviewed by ten adults and revised based on their comments. We recruited 192 volunteers (92 males, 100 females) to use the mobile phone application and to respond to a satisfaction survey. Participants were instructed to use the mobile phone application with fiducial marker five centimeter in width, length and two centimeter height at each eating occasion during designated 4 days, capturing 45° angle and 90° angle images of all food and beverage items before and after consumption. After using the mobile phone application for 4 days, participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire on the satisfaction of the mobile phone app. User satisfaction items composed of 12 questions of application user interface, 8 questions of emotional response, 9 questions of eating behavior in 5 likert scale. Participants were also asked to provide additional open-ended comments on the use of mobile phone application. Statistical analysis was performed by using the SPSS 23.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Science). RESULTS: The average user interface score was 2.82 ± 1.08, which was close to the ‘normal’ response. Responses for emotion and eating behavior also were borderline to the ‘normal’. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the mobile phone application using 24-hour recall was acceptable to be used to assess dietary intakes for several days. However, there should be a need for such technology to be user-oriented instead of researcher-oriented. Easy and cost-effective new technology is needed for estimating the amounts of food eaten automatically when the photos are taken.
Adult ; Beverages ; Cell Phones* ; Eating ; Feeding Behavior ; Fiducial Markers ; Humans ; Male ; Mobile Applications ; Volunteers

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate providers' perspectives on current challenges in implementing a program for prevention and management of childhood obesity and adoption of mobile phone as a potential solution of leveraging multimodal delivery and support in a school setting. METHODS: The qualitative data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews with 23 elementary-school teachers, 6 pediatricians, and 6 dieticians from community health centers and analyzed using a qualitative research methodology. RESULTS: Current challenges and potential solutions of obesity-prevention and -management program for obesity program for elementary school children were deduced as two themes each. Lack of tailored intervention due to limited recipient motivation, lack of individualized behavioral intervention, and different environmental conditions can be solvable by mobile technology-based personalized intervention which brings about interactive recipient participation, customized behavioral intervention, and ubiquitous accessibility. Lack of sustainable management due to stigmatization, limited interactions between program providers and inconsistent administrative support can be handled by multimodal support based on school setting using mobile platform providing education of health promoting behaviors toward larger scale and interactive networking between program participants, and minimizing administrative burden. CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of mobile-based health management program may overcome current limitations of child obesity program such as lack of tailored intervention and sustainable management via personalized intervention and multimodal supports although some concerns such as increased screen time need to be carefully considered in a further study.
Cell Phones* ; Child* ; Community Health Centers ; Education ; Humans ; Motivation ; Nutritionists ; Obesity* ; Pediatric Obesity ; Qualitative Research ; Stereotyping

The present study investigated caffeinated beverage consumption and screen time in the association with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and sleep duration. We conducted a cross-sectional study including 249 Korean male high school students. These participants responded to a questionnaire inquiring the information on lifestyle factors, consumption of caffeinated beverages, time spent for screen media, and sleep duration as well as to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaire. EDS was defined as ESS scores of 9 or greater. Students with EDS consumed greater amount of chocolate/cocoa drinks and spent longer time for a TV and a mobile phone than those without EDS (p < 0.05). In addition, students with short sleep (≤ 6 hours) consumed greater amount of coffee than others whereas students with long sleep (> 8 hours) consumed greater amount of chocolate/cocoa drinks than others (p < 0.05). Screen time did not differ according to the categories of sleep duration. Although these findings do not support causal relationships, they suggest that screen time is associated with EDS, but not with sleep duration, and that consumption of certain types of caffeinated beverages is associated with EDS and sleep duration. Adolescents may need to reduce screen time and caffeine consumption to improve sleep quality and avoid daytime sleepiness.
Adolescent ; Beverages* ; Caffeine ; Cell Phones ; Coffee ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to model the avoidable burden of the risk factors of road traffic crashes in Iran and to prioritize interventions to reduce that burden. METHODS: The prevalence and the effect size of the risk factors were obtained from data documented by the traffic police of Iran in 2013. The effect size was estimated using an ordinal regression model. The potential impact fraction index was applied to calculate the avoidable burden in order to prioritize interventions. This index was calculated for theoretical, plausible, and feasible minimum risk level scenarios. The joint effects of the risk factors were then estimated for all the scenarios. RESULTS: The highest avoidable burdens in the theoretical, plausible, and feasible minimum risk level scenarios for the non-use of child restraints on urban roads were 52.25, 28.63, and 46.67, respectively. In contrast, the value of this index for speeding was 76.24, 37.00, and 62.23, respectively, for rural roads. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the different scenarios considered in this research, we suggest focusing on future interventions to decrease the prevalence of speeding, the non-use of child restraints, the use of cell phones while driving, and helmet disuse, and the laws related to these items should be considered seriously.
Accidents, Traffic ; Cell Phones ; Child ; Head Protective Devices ; Humans ; Iran* ; Joints ; Jurisprudence ; Police ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of core basic nursing education using cellular phone video recordings on self-confidence in performance, achievement, and practice satisfaction. METHODS: The research design was a nonequivalent control group modified and non-synchronized design. The participants were assigned to either the experimental (n=60) or control group (n=67). During one semester, the experimental group received training for 10 selected core basic nursing skills using cellular phone video recording. The control group, also for one semester, received training with traditional practices. Self-confidence in performance and practice satisfaction were measured using a questionnaire, and achievement was evaluated by professors at the conclusion of the semester. Collected data were analyzed using t-test and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Self-confidence in performance increased significantly after training in the experimental group (t=7.94, p<.001). The experimental group showed significantly higher self-confidence in performance (t=2.39, p=.018) and achievement (t=2.40, p=.018) compared to the control group. However, the difference in practice satisfaction was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that cellular phone video recording is effective in improving self-confidence in performance and achievement of core basic nursing skills.
Cell Phones* ; Education, Nursing* ; Humans ; Nursing* ; Personal Satisfaction ; Research Design ; Students, Nursing ; Video Recording*

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the effects of mobile health (mHealth), using mobile phones as an intervention for weight loss in obese adults. METHODS: An electronic search was carried out using multiple databases. A meta-analysis of selected studies was performed. The effects of mHealth were analyzed using changes in body weight and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: We identified 20 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2,318 participants who fit our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that body weight was reduced with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of −2.35 kg (95% confidence interval [CI], −2.84 to −1.87). An examination of the impact of duration of intervention showed that weight loss was greater after 6 months of mHealth (WMD = −2.66 kg) than between three and four months (WMD = −2.25 kg); it was maintained for up to 9 months (WMD = −2.62 kg). At 12 months, weight loss was reduced to a WMD of −1.23 kg. BMI decreased with a WMD of −0.77 kg/m2 (95% CI, −1.01 to −0.52). BMI changes were not statistically significant at 3 months (WMD = −1.10 kg/m2), but they were statistically significant at 6 months (WMD = −0.67 kg/m2). CONCLUSIONS: The use of mHealth for obese adults showed a modest short-term effect on body weight and BMI. Although the weight loss associated with mHealth did not meet the recommendation of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network, which considers a reduction of approximately 5 to 10 kg of the initial body weight as a successful intervention. Well-designed RCTs are needed to reveal the effects of mHealth interventions.
Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cell Phones ; Humans ; Mobile Applications ; Obesity ; Telemedicine* ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between cell phone dependency and aggression in elementary school students with the mediating effect of leisure activities in South Korea. METHODS: Data were cross-sectional in study design with 1,555 fourth grade elementary school students participating in the 4th-year Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS/WIN 23.0 and AMOS 21.0 program. RESULTS: Cell phone dependency has a significant effect on aggression, but it did not act as a control variable in the relationship between the protective factor, weekly book reading time and the amount of daytime play with aggression. Weekly entertainment time and weekly TV and video viewing time had a significant statistical effect on aggression, thus this study confirmed that cell phone dependency acts as a control variable in relation to aggression. CONCLUSION: As the entertainment time for elementary school students, the time spent watching TV and videos play a negative role, it is necessary to prepare a leisure activity management practice and strategies with an emphasis on entertainment time as well as, TV and video viewing as elementary school students' leisure activities for a healthy school life.
Adolescent ; Aggression ; Cell Phones ; Child ; Dependency (Psychology) ; Humans ; Korea ; Leisure Activities ; Negotiating ; Protective Factors ; Statistics as Topic