University of Wollongong researchers are developing a computer program that can tell whether a child is running, riding a bike or jumping through hoops.
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The ‘‘game-changing’’ program will analyse the data collected on special physical activity monitors worn by pre-schoolers involved in the study.
Dr Dylan Cliff, from the Early Start Research Institute, said it would let scientists, educators and health professionals know not only how much physical activity the children were doing - but what kind of activity.
‘‘The computer program will use the same kind of technology as voice recognition software, which converts speech into text,’’ Dr Cliff said.
‘‘The software will be able to take in information from the activity monitors worn by children and recognise whether that child has been running, walking or jumping on a trampoline.
‘‘If we can understand children’s activity patterns we will have a far more accurate estimate of how much young children are playing actively and whether it is enough.’’
Dr Cliff said research in this area was vital, with one in five pre-schoolers in Australia classified as overweight or obese. Meanwhile only around five to 10 per cent of pre-schoolers currently met national activity guidelines.
The results of the three-year $286,000 Australian Research Council funded project could be used to help experts form strategies to boost physical activity and decrease childhood obesity.
‘‘There’s good evidence to suggest that activity and health behaviours start to be established early in life and they stay that way throughout childhood and into adolescence,’’ Dr Cliff said.
‘‘However they are very malleable, so if we can get in early there’s the potential to make important changes that can be sustained later in life.’’
Dr Cliff said the program would lend itself to use in most research that uses a physical activity monitor. ‘‘It’s definitely considered the next big game-changer,’’ he said.
Associate Professor Markus Hagenbuchner, from the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, is leading the project which will involve around 40 participants aged three to five years.
Children will wear the portable devices for up to one week. They will also undertake games and activities in a special calorimeter room, with measures oxygen consumption and energy expenditure.
