FMT: A Wearable Camera-Based Object Tracking Memory Aid for Older Adults

Abstract

Older adults sometimes forget about whether or not they have completed routine actions and the states of objects that they have interacted with (e.g., the kitchen stove is on or off). In this work, we explore whether video clips captured from a bodyworn camera every time objects of interest are found within its field of view can help older adults determine if they have completed certain actions with these objects and what their states are. We designed FMT (“Fiducial Marker Tracker” —a real-time capture and access application that opportunistically captures video clips of objects the user interacts with. To do this, the user places fiducial markers close to objects which would be captured when the marker enters the user’s body-worn camera’s field of view. We examine and discuss what objects this system would be best suited to track, and the usefulness and usability of this approach. FMT successfully captured direct interactions with an object at an average rate of 75.6% across all participants (SD = 9.9%). Our results also reveal how, what, and why users would use such a system for help.