Abstract
This study aims to improve the user experience of a digital twin–based mobile application for blood glucose management in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Many existing mobile applications do not adequately support users in anticipating changes in blood glucose levels or in taking appropriate actions. Through interviews with patients, we identified key challenges including anxiety from unpredictable glucose fluctuations, limited support for lifestyle choices, and low motivation for continuous data logging. To address these issues, we designed a mobile interface that visualizes glucose trends alongside meals, exercise, and insulin intake. It features a digital twin character for intuitive feedback and offers personalized guidance messages based on predicted glucose levels. A reward system was integrated to support consistent application use. We also explored companion devices that integrate with the mobile application to support ease of use in daily life. User evaluation with eight participants showed positive responses to the applications clarity and usefulness. Participants appreciated the feature to view blood glucose trends alongside related lifestyle data in one place and found the guidance messages and feedback helpful. While some features require further evaluation, the study suggests that integrating prediction, guidance, and motivational elements can enhance the effectiveness of self-managed blood glucose control.
Keywords
Blood glucose management application; Digital twin; Virtual coach character; Information visualization
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.802
Citation
We, J., Noh, E., Choi, J., Yoon, J., Choi, J.,and Kim, W.(2025) Improving the User Experience of a Digital Twin-Based Mobile Application for Blood Glucose Management, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.802
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 9 - Healthcare Design
Improving the User Experience of a Digital Twin-Based Mobile Application for Blood Glucose Management
This study aims to improve the user experience of a digital twin–based mobile application for blood glucose management in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Many existing mobile applications do not adequately support users in anticipating changes in blood glucose levels or in taking appropriate actions. Through interviews with patients, we identified key challenges including anxiety from unpredictable glucose fluctuations, limited support for lifestyle choices, and low motivation for continuous data logging. To address these issues, we designed a mobile interface that visualizes glucose trends alongside meals, exercise, and insulin intake. It features a digital twin character for intuitive feedback and offers personalized guidance messages based on predicted glucose levels. A reward system was integrated to support consistent application use. We also explored companion devices that integrate with the mobile application to support ease of use in daily life. User evaluation with eight participants showed positive responses to the applications clarity and usefulness. Participants appreciated the feature to view blood glucose trends alongside related lifestyle data in one place and found the guidance messages and feedback helpful. While some features require further evaluation, the study suggests that integrating prediction, guidance, and motivational elements can enhance the effectiveness of self-managed blood glucose control.