Our course text was originally published 20 years ago, not long after the Internet came into existence. With each new edition the authors have focused updates on areas where there has been substantial progress since that section was last updated (not necessarily since the last edition).

This chapter now includes a section on Big Data (check out the Big Data discussion forum in this module!) and the Internet of Things. The significant leap forward with IoT is the ability to employ passive data collection. Now that people are wearing the Internet, researchers (and their clients) may leverage this convenience to learn more about consumers while actually engaging with them less.

Take a moment to share any "things" you use on a regular basis and then share what data you know those things are capturing and what data you suspect they could be capturing. What applications could you envision for the data that your device(s) are collecting from you? Are there any uses beyond the explicit use that first drew you to the product? What opportunities might stem from these alternate uses? I would encourage you to consider target audiences and/or applications that differ a bit from the primary application. Are there research applications for the data that your "things" are collecting? I'll get you started by sharing my own story. Almost two years ago I purchased Fitbit devices for my wife and myself (yes, for our anniversary I said we should start walking). You're probably familiar with the Fitbit, but it's worth noting the functions available. Of course it monitors steps taken through the use of a motion detector and GPS. You can fool the motion detector into thinking you're taking steps by simply waving your arm. It is particularly fool-able when you bend your arm while taking a drink...or so I've been told.

The GPS is useful in determining when you change elevations, which may be used to track stair-climbing (one of the activities you can monitor. The device will also track heart rate, which along with the motion monitors allows it to estimate calories burned. There is a user interface (mobile app and website) that allows you to input calories and water consumed. And you can customize your goals for any/all of these activities. So, the folks at Fitbit have built a nice little device that allows you to track your activity in a lot of ways. Now, in accordance with the discussion instructions, I will say that these data could be used for other purposes.

There is the obvious GPS function of location. As a parent, I might be more open to purchasing a Fitbit for my 9YO (because he keeps asking) if it offered a tracking function. He might leave a phone at school or at a friend's, but he's unlikely to take off his Fitbit until he has to take a shower. So, that is a hypothetical use for the Fitbit that isn't part of the current marketing strategy (as far as I know).

There is another potential use for the data that has actually been employed in a single documented case last year. In April of last year, doctors in a Camden, NJ emergency room were treating an adult male with a heart condition. They had two options for treatment, but they really needed to know when the incident began before deciding which treatment to employ. They noted that he was wearing a Fitbit, so they checked the heart rate data on his app and determined that there was a dramatic change in heart rate a few hours earlier. They surmised that this was the beginning of the episode and initiated the appropriate treatment. Their efforts were successful and they credited the device with providing them with the information they needed to save his life. Pretty cool, huh? You can read about it here: http://www.mobihealthnews.com/content/how-patients-fitbit-data-helped-er-doctors-determine-his-treatment (Links to an external site.).

So, could Fitbit devote attention to ensuring that the heart monitoring function on their device is reliable enough that it could be trusted in such cases? I'd bet that they don't want that kind of liability. But, it is certainly worth considering, particularly for older adults. So, maybe you should get your grandparents Fitbits (or something like them) for their birthdays. You can tell them that you're encouraging exercise, but it could just help save their lives.

If I were consulting for Fitbit, I might also suggest leveraging these alternate applications for research purposes. So, the GPS could be used to determine how many of their users are actually engaging in physical fitness activities (e.g., walking/running for fitness, visiting a gym/fitness center) and test tailored messages based on their observed activities (keeping the Target lesson about creepiness in mind).

I might also suggest using user data to guide design changes to fit alternate purposes/audiences. So, if I see changes in the way the devices are used during different activities, I would use that to guide alternate designs and/or marketing strategies.

Now, let's hear your IoT stories!