Comparing British and Japanese Perceptions of a Wearable Ubiquitous Monitoring Device

Abstract

Ubiquitous Monitoring (UM) describes the continuous collection of data on a large scale, enabled by embedded, mobile, wireless, and sensory technologies [1]. This data will enable the envisioned applications of Ubiquitous Computing. Research has shown that monitoring can affect user behavior [2], which is problematic for ubiquitous computing because the data collected may not fully reflect the reality. Hence, any services provided may not fully align with user expectations or needs. One proposed solution is the use of deterministic models to predict the behaviors of users prior to deployment, reducing the undesirable effects of monitoring. The Perceptions of System Attributes-Behavioral Intention (PSA-BI) model was specifically designed for this purpose [1]. While the model has been validated, the moderating effect of culture has not yet been explored. As such, we present here results from a study carried out in the U.K. exploring the relationships in the PSA-BI model. This is then compared with a structural model from a previous study in Japan [3], [4], allowing us to explore any potential differences and similarities.