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The advancement of current technology allows developing lightweightunobtrusive devices, which detect human physical activity. However, there has always been a major issue, hindering the regular usage ofthese gadgets - many people find it difficult to fit them in theirdaily routine. In this thesis, we develop an application, which allows us to measure the influence of online social networks on people involved in physical activity programs. On the grounds of our literature research, we identify different motivational triggers that can be employed for the design of a social network application in the context of physical activity programs. Based on these findings, we design and implement the ActiveTeam application, using Facebook as underlying social network service. In the course of the document we propose several methods to evaluate the behaviour of ActiveTeam users. These methods areintended to help us analyze and improve the application once it ismade available to a large number of users.

This report describes the theoretical background and development of an application to share physical activity information, as well as the results of a four-week field study in which people shared physical activity information as measured by the Philips Activity Monitor. The existing web-service DirectLife was enhanced with an interface that visualizes similarities, activity levels and patterns between users. The application, developed by deploying user-centered design methods, displays several attributes of physical activity. During the field study two groups of seven participants carried the activity monitor and shared activity information; either visualized on a publicly shared or private display. Visualizing similarities in physical activity is expected to increase interpersonal awareness, communication and perceived closeness. From the perspective of self-determination theory (SDT), this should increase the fulfillment of the need to belong. Such a fulfillment is expected to increase intrinsic motivation for physical activity and engagement in using the activity monitor. The results show the promise of using similarity and enhancing connectedness for technology-based persuasion. In addition, several recommendations are made for future efforts aimed at increasing motivation for physical activity.

We study the effects of digital photo sharing on social connectedness of people with special needs. We target people dealing with a transition in life that forced them to live away from their family and friends. Our study included four people with spinal-cord injury staying in a rehabilitation centre and eight elderly people staying in a nursing home. Each participant was provided with a web-enabled digital photo frame and their family members were provided with a camera phone. The results of our study show positive effects. For rehabilitants photo sharing simplified the way they could reconnect to their family. For the elderly people, photo sharing served as 'food for talk'.

This research explores how context sensing and ubiquitous communication media can support remote family members with new ways of caringfor each other using awareness systems. An important design dimension in awareness systems is reflected by the concepts of symmetry andsocial translucence. We explore the effect of ensuring symmetry versus ensuring social translucence upon the social connectedness and the privacy satisfaction that people experience through the use of anawareness system. We built the SoPresenT prototype which uses audioand video technologies to support these concepts. We are currently investigating these through controlled experiments.

An awareness system was designed to provide peace of mind and a sense of connectedness to adults who care for an elderly parent living alone. The iterative design of the Aurama awareness system showed andour empirical research, including field trials ranging from four tosix months, confirm the potential of awareness systems to support both generations suggesting that future research should examine, firstly, how to convey long-term trends regarding the wellbeing of the elderly and, secondly, how to intertwine the communication of awareness information with expressive forms of communication. We further explore the role that formal care providers can play when caring for the elderly using the awareness system. We discuss implications of our studies for the design of ambient intelligent systems supporting awareness between elderly, their adult children and care providers, and derive several lessons learned in conducting long-term field trials.