Smartwatch app could help people quit smoking, study finds

Software with a special sensor sends notifications when it recognizes the hand movement that a person makes when he wants to light a cigarette.

Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed an app that can recognize typical hand movements that occur when a person holds a cigarette. When a smoking attempt is detected, a notification appears on the smartwatch screen. An app on the device vibrates and sends a text message designed by smokers and ex-smokers to provide support in the quitting process.

After reading the message, users can swipe away or tap a button to access information about available online quit support resources.

The smartwatch app was tested on 18 people who wanted to quit smoking. They wore a Ticwatch with a set program for two weeks. At the end of the experiment, participants returned the watch and completed a 27-question questionnaire. Ultimately, 66% of respondents said that wearing a smartwatch with this technology was comfortable, and 61% said that the content of the messages was relevant to them.

Positive feedback included comments from participants that the app helped them raise awareness about smoking, gave them a positive attitude toward quitting the habit, made them stop and think, helped them reduce the number of cigarettes they smoked, and provided ongoing support. However, there were also negative reviews. Some users reported that repeated messages were becoming less effective, some notifications were too slow, there weren’t enough notifications, and some were too general.