Reward System for Health Behavior Change via Dynamic Plans

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for maintaining healthy lifestyle habits are often rigid, expensive, and inaccessible, leading to frustration and abandonment due to lack of personalized guidance and motivation, particularly in diet and exercise regimes.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing portable technology to provide personalized diet and exercise plans, tailored messages, and rewards, leveraging 'push' technology to continuously motivate users and adapt to their preferences and challenges, similar to expert coaching but at an affordable cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid, impersonal diet regime is imposed, then dietary control is achieved, but user frustration increases and adherence decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediet adherenceVSAvoiduser satisfaction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts diet plans based on user feedback, preferences, and progress. The diet regime is not fixed but evolves over time, allowing modifications to food types, portion sizes, and meal frequencies based on user responses and outcomes, thereby maintaining both control and satisfaction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes multiple parameters of the diet plan including food preferences, calorie targets, meal timing, and exercise requirements. By adjusting these parameters based on user feedback and progress, the system maintains effectiveness while improving user satisfaction and adherence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If severe restrictions are placed on food types and activities, then health improvement is achieved, but variety decreases and frustration increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealth outcomeVSAvoiddiet flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static severe restrictions to dynamic flexible guidelines. Food restrictions are adjusted based on user progress, preferences, and physiological needs, allowing the diet to adapt rather than imposing fixed rigid constraints that reduce variety and increase frustration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different levels of restriction to different food categories based on individual user needs and preferences. Rather than uniform severe restrictions across all foods, the system tailors restrictions locally to specific food types and user characteristics, maintaining health outcomes while preserving variety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If personalized coaching is provided, then motivation and adherence improve, but cost increases and accessibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebehavior change successVSAvoidsystem accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a digital copy of personalized coaching functionality through automated algorithms and AI. Instead of requiring expensive human coaches for each user, the system replicates coaching capabilities through software that provides personalized guidance, feedback, and motivation at scale, maintaining success rates while dramatically reducing cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables users to receive personalized coaching and diet planning through self-service automation. Users input their preferences and receive automated personalized recommendations, progress tracking, and adjustments without requiring human coach intervention, making personalized guidance accessible and affordable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If manual calorie calculation and exercise tracking are required, then diet control is achieved, but time consumption and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalorie controlVSAvoidtime for tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automates calorie calculation and exercise tracking through self-service functionality. Users simply log their food intake and activities, and the system automatically calculates calories, adjusts diet plans, and provides feedback without requiring manual computation or complex tracking by the user, maintaining control while reducing time investment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8655717B2System and method for rewarding users for changes in health behaviors

Publication Date: 2014.02.18 HUMANA INNOVATIONS ENTERPRISES

AI summary

A system and method for generating and sending reward messages to users accomplishing goals related to a personalized health behavior plan. Rewards may be issued for reasons such as achieving an ultimate goal, reaching an intermediate goal, or completing a suggested activity such as eating a suggested meal or performing a suggested physical activity. A reward may be a coupon for use at an establishment such as a restaurant, a clothing store, or a fitness center. Rewards may also be checks sent through postal mail or coupons for printing on a personal printer. Reward messages are generated by an expert system based on a user's personalized diet, exercise, or other health plan, goals associated with the plan, and specified preferences. Reward messages are sent to user's portable devices. Current location information may be used to send a user a reward for use at a nearby establishment.