User-centered design of an air quality feedback technology to promote adoption of clean cookstoves

Abstract

Recent work has examined behavioral reactivity associated with personal awareness of electronic sensors monitoring the use of environmental health products, including cookstoves. These studies suggest that sensors could be used as behavior change tools. We present a human-centered design approach toward the development of a household air quality feedback technology intended to improve consistent and exclusive use of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) stoves provided as part of a health efficacy study. We found through a consultation process that households may be behaviorally triggered by reminders of the health and environmental impacts of cooking practices and may respond to both auditory and visual feedback. Based on these insights, we designed and validated a system linking air particulate monitoring with persistent visual feedback and a dynamic audio alarm. Data collected over 14 days in participants households show that the system is able to detect sudden rises in household indoor air pollution and to communicate that information to household members. This device could be used as a tool to raise awareness of air pollution associated in order to stimulate adoption of cleaner cooking technologies.