NFC Enabled Smartphone Application For Instant Cognitive Support

Abstract: Abstract Context: Advancement in mobile technology is truth of this Century. Mobile phone is used mainly for calling and Short Message Service, but Smartphone are advanced form of mobile phone which have multiple features. Smartphone can have Global Positioning System, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Near Field Communication like features. These Smartphone devices are designed considering general public and can be difficult to use by people with limited cognition. But proper use of Smartphone features while developing applications to support people with cognitive disabilities is vital. The interfaces and structure of information can have impact on the success of application. Although, some special systems exist to support these people but they create a distinction among functional and non-functional population. Smartphone with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology feature was considered in this research work as a cognitive support for independence in their daily life activities. Objectives: The objectives were the Identification of issues to be considered while providing cognitive support through technology for cognitive disabled persons. And if technology used to support them is Smartphone then to investigate the appropriate structure of information to be displayed on screen to make them able to perform their activities by following instruction provided by application. To know how NFC Smartphone feature can be helpful to start an application designed to provide cognitive support i.e. providing them information of weather and suggesting appropriate clothes to wear. Methods: The systematic literature review was conducted to find the issues which should be considered while supporting cognitive disabled. The survey was used to identify the needs, abilities and disabilities of cognitive disabled persons. Interviews with higher administration involved in support facilities to the cognitive disabled were conducted to get in-depth knowledge from their experience which can be helpful for developing the application. The Participatory design workshop was conducted by involving stakeholders. Appropriate structure of information for weather and clothes scenario was decided. The NFC enabled Smartphone application was implemented and tested in real environment. For validation focus group interviews were conducted. Conclusions: The NFC enabled Smartphone application to assist in deciding clothes to be worn according to outside weather condition was evaluated in real environment. The results of user testing and focus group interviews indicate that Smartphone application through NFC feature can support people with cognitive disabilities. Furthermore, for validation purpose ethnographic methods can be used for validation of proposed NFC enabled Smartphone application.