RvO: MyFoodCoach

Malnutrition is a current and major challenge that particularly affects frail seniors. A healthy diet contributes to better quality of life, decreased health issues and a reduced need for care. However, present initiatives to support frail seniors with attaining and maintaining a healthy diet are lacking. Even though the elderly population often has a smartphone, tablet or compute; a digital or online solution is not always the most fitting for this target group. In the MyFoodCoach project, we introduced an embodied digital coach: Liz. Liz is developed as an extension of the dietitian and helps frail seniors to improve their dietary habits through serious gaming elements.  

In the MyFoodCoach project we, together with HAN University of Applied Sciences, have applied participatory design techniques to develop Liz. Both dietitians as well as elderly that suffer from malnutrition have tested prototypes and provided valuable input to develop a digital coach that fits the target group. With Liz, dietitians and the elderly patient together can set goals, and Liz will remind the patient to have a meal. By using facial expressions, gestures and voice, Liz gives personal rewards and compliments to the senior to help them reach their goals. The involved dietitian can monitor the well-being, meal-intake and weight of the senior more continuously, which leads to earlier recognized concerns and more personalized advices.  

The MyFoodCoach project is funded by RVO as part of the innovation program: SBIR: ‘Serious games: beter functioneren door betere keuzes’ 

Partners:  

• HAN University of Applied Sciences 
• SmartRobot.Solutions 
• Movements Group