An alternative approach to physical activity management for patients with chronic inactivity (2022-present)

Keywords: Medical device design, wearable diagnostics, physical inactivity, diabetes

Host: © School of Design, RMIT University and Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute

Funded by: RMIT University

Role: Thesis, PhD in Design

Supervised by: Dr. Scott Mitchell, Professor Soumitri Vardarajan, Dr. Caroline Francis, Professor Neale Cohen

Collaborators:School of Engineering, RMIT University

Increasing levels of physical inactivity across all age groups is a growing public health problem. Evidence suggests that the recommended level of activity intensity and volume can feel unattainable for some individuals and discourage participation. However, guidelines from the World Health Organization now promote all movement, regardless of intensity or volume, as beneficial for health. While clinicians may encourage such movement in their social prescriptions for patients, no appropriate measures evaluate the effect of non-specific movements of various skeletal muscle groups on overall health.

This project proposes an alternative approach to the unitiszation and measurement of physical activity by quantifying body movements. The project applies a practice-based design research methodology incorporating a modified version of the Stanford Biodesign Innovation model. Clinical practices in physical activity management were qualitatively reviewed with clinicians in Melbourne, followed by reviews of existing measures of physical activity in clinical research to establish an unmet need. A wearable movement tracker was designed and developed to measure whole body movements and translate them to daily or weekly physical activity goals. The device was benchmarked against research-grade activity trackers and the measurement approach was validated through user-studies and clinical validation studies.

The project contributes to interdisciplinary knowledge across medical device design, the science of physical activity management for chronic inactivity and physical inactivity behaviour. The thesis is due to be submitted in 2026 followed by an examination and publication of research outputs. This page will be updated as publications emerge.