DEVELOPMENT OF AN

AUGUMENTED REALITY-
BASED MOBILE DIABETES
ADVISOR
[Document subtitle]

[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
 DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUGUMENTED REALITY-BASED MOBILE DIABETES ADVISOR

Table of Contents
CHAPTER TWO – LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................2
1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................2
1.1 TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH MANAGEMENT..........................................................3
1.2 DIABETES.......................................................................................................................3
1.3 TYPES OF DIABETES...................................................................................................5
1.3.1 TYPE 1 DIABETES..........................................................................................................................5
1.3.2 TYPE 2 DIABETES..........................................................................................................................8
1.3.3 GESTATIONAL DIABETES..........................................................................................................10

1.4 IMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES.................................................................................10

1.4.1 GENERAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES..............................................................10
1.4.2 ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES.............................................................................11

1.5 PREVENTION OF DIABETES....................................................................................11

1.5.1 TREATMENT AND SELF-MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES.....................................................11

1.6 APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES..............12

1.6.1 TYPES OF ADVICE TO BE PROVIDED BY THE USE TECHNOLOGY.................................12
1.6.2 ADVICE ON HEALTHY DIET......................................................................................................13
1.6.3 ADVICE ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY...........................................................................................13

1.7 APPLICATION OF AUGMENTED REALITY (AR)..................................................14

1.8 AR DISPLAY DEVICES/TECHNOLOGIES...............................................................15
1.8.1 MOBILE DEVICES.........................................................................................................................15
1.8.2 COMPUTERS AND TELEVISIONS..............................................................................................15
1.8.3 HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAYS, GLASSES, LENSES..................................................................15

1.9 USE CASES OF AUGMENTED REALITY.................................................................16

1.9.1 AUGMENTED REALITY IN HOSPITALS...................................................................................16
1.9.2 AUGMENTED REALITY IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.............................................16
1.9.3 AUGMENTED REALITY IN EDUCATION.................................................................................17
1.9.4 AUGMENTED REALITY-BASED DIABETES ADVISOR.........................................................17

2. CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................17
REFERENCES...............................................................................................................18

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CHAPTER TWO – LITERATURE REVIEW

1. INTRODUCTION
The emergence of revolutionary technologies such as mobile applications and social media
has changed many things in the society, including how people process and access
information. In other words, there are several channels or ways through which information
can be accessed and passed, especially when it concerns health which is a vital aspect of life.
Wanless (2004) asserts that good health is central to the happiness and well-being of every
human being. Also, it contributes immensely to the economic growth because healthy people
or population tend to live longer and are more productive both to the society and to
themselves rather than relying on the government or other individuals. Likewise, Burström
and Fredlund (2001), mention that one of the primary benefits of good hygiene is by having
good health, in terms of monitoring the health status often to make sure there is no sickness
or ailments such as diabetes. In this regard, people need to monitor different factors or things
that can affect their health in order to remain fit and healthy.

According to Cleary (1993), health is a state of ample physical, social and mental well-being;
so, for one to have a healthy life cycle, it is essential to have a balanced diet and regularly
ensure that there are no excess sugar or glucose in the diets to avoid diabetes. In this respect,
many techniques have been applied to educate people on the need for self-consciousness on
the things that can potentially affect their health or increase their sugar levels. Such
techniques include the use of technological systems to facilitate and assist people in
monitoring their health. However, there has been resentments regarding the use of mobile
technology; in other words, there is still some research gap regarding the application of
revolutionary technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) to assist and advise people in
self-management of diabetes. In this regard, an augmented reality-based mobile diabetes
advisor has been proposed for deployment in Mauritius as a technology assistant to diabetes
patients and the entire society. The proposed technological system will provide several
benefits to both diabetes patients and everyone in society to easily spot out the elements or
things that are likely to influence diabetes. The application of AR will incorporate persuasive
elements such as glucose levels in food items and reporting the outcomes on the mobile
application interface for the users to understand the level that can be taken and the level than
cannot be taken in order to avoid the risk of diabetes.

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1.1 TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Like other sectors, technology has been very beneficial to the health sector, especially in
regard to self-management which tend to affect the healthcare sectors, because the number of
patients keeps decreasing. The decrease is as a result of the technological solutions that are
being discovered to help people monitor and get pieces of advice about their health through
mobile devices and other technologies, rather than meeting a doctor or paying a hospital for
advice. In previous years, credible health information or health advice can only be accessed
or received from a renowned health practitioner or health institution. A recent survey on the
BBC states that “most people around the world are most likely to trust a doctor or nurse for
medical advice.” However, social media has given rise to a range of wellness bloggers and
vloggers, giving out health advice despite having inadequate medical experience. Thus,
technology has been beneficial in providing credible advice, primarily when it is derived
from experienced or renowned experts in the medical sectors. One of the significant areas of
health that have been influenced using technology in the control of diabetes which has
become a prevalent ailment in most societies due to the high level of processed foods that is
high on glucose and sugar.

Recently, there has been an enormous growth of interest in how technology could be used in
controlling the rate of diabetes, especially among elderly people because they are more prone
to experience increase in sugar levels than young people (Vashist, 2012). In this case, social
media has played a vital role, especially in circulating information to people on how to
approach the self-management of diabetes. Subsequent studies have shown that having a
piece of knowledge about a disease does not translate it into action; rather, patients require to
be reminded and persuaded to take self-care measures. In this case, technology serves as a
reminder and persuader to patients regarding the need to take precautionary measures against
diseases such as diabetes. Another concept that has not been explored fully is how social
media can be used as a social platform to foster better health behaviour based on the theory of
social comparison. For instance, most people comply with some kinds of behaviours as a
means to seek for validation.

1.2 DIABETES
Research indicates that diabetes is one of the biggest epidemics of the twenty-first century as
30.3 million people in the United States, representing 9.4 per cent of the population are who
have diabetes. The most intriguing part is that more than one in four of the people suffering
from the ailment is not aware of it because of the way it spreads (Todd et al., 2007).

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Daneman (2006) explains diabetes as a disease that occurs when the blood glucose, also
called the blood sugar, gets too high (Atlas, 2015). This disease is a chronic ailment that
requires continuous care or frequent medical attention, self-management and education to
reduce the risk of a long-term effect on the health or instigating long-term health
complications.

In most cases, it is challenging to prevent having diabetes, especially for people who are
more prone to have an increase in their sugar levels due to hereditary traits. However, most
foods contain glucose, especially foods with a high content of carbohydrate because glucose
tends to be the end-product. So, blood glucose comes mainly from foods people eat and is
seen by health experts as a primary source of energy. In this regard, it is not always
applicable to advise someone to desist entirely from foods containing glucose; instead, people
are advised to minimise their intake in order to remain healthy.

Therefore, self-management practice is mainly advised to diabetic patients to take in order to

live well with such chronic ailment. The practice includes tasks such as managing role,
emotion and being confident to deal with medical management. In other words, patients must
be able to gain enough confidence in their capability of applying self-management techniques
to manage and tackle the further menace that can be caused by chronic diabetes. Chronic
diabetes can be very dangerous and does not accept any medications rather than death; so, it
is imperative to apply self-management strategies or processes to control its longevity in the
body. Todd et al. (2007) asserts that self-management processes are inherently data-intensive;
in other words, it requires intensive acquisition, storage and analysis of the large volume of
data regularly to ensure adequate measures are taken. Most times, people refer to diabetes as
a “borderline diabetes” or a “touch of sugar.”

However, these terms imply that someone might not be a diabetic patient or have a less case
of diabetes before they can apply self-management practices, but every diabetic case is
severe. Although there is no cure for diabetes, people are still required to take precautional
steps to manage the ailment and stay healthy because too much of glucose in the body is
likely to cause health issues, despite its benefit as a source of energy. Glucose is usually
formed with the help of insulin which is a hormone made by the pancreas to help the glucose
derived from the foods to enter the human body cells in order to be used for energy. Recent
advances in wireless networks and smartphone technology have resulted in the increased
adoption of technology in managing diabetes. In this respect, Care (2006) reviewed several

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tools and techniques that are being applied in managing diabetes as well as other chronic
ailments.

1.3 TYPES OF DIABETES

The most common types of diabetes are gestational, type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Atlas (2015)
asserts that all three types are most common in society and can be managed through the
application of self-management techniques. However, Bellamy et al. (2009) argues that type
2 diabetes is most common than other types, especially in the United States, where about 90
per cent of the adults are diagnosed to have type 2 diabetes.

1.3.1 TYPE 1 DIABETES

This type of diabetes usually occurs when the cells in the pancreas do not make any insulin
which is called beta cells. In other words, the immune system destroys and attack the cells in
the pancreas to prevent it from making insulin. According to Daneman (2006), type 1
diabetes is mostly diagnosed in children and young adults, so, it is used to be called juvenile
diabetes, although it can be seen or diagnose in older adults. However, people with type 1
diabetes are required to take insulin on a daily basis in order to remain alive. In this case,
technology can be applied to provide daily reminder and prescriptions to patients with type
one diabetes to take insulins every day in order to control the level of glucose that is in the
blood.

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In most cases, a condition referred to as secondary diabetes which is similar to type 1, but the
body beta cells are wiped out by something else such as an injury to the pancreas or disease,
instead of the immune system. However, both of these are entirely different from type 2
diabetes because type 2 diabetes occurs when the body refuses to respond to insulin in the
manner of which it is expected.

1.3.1.1 SYMPTOMS OF TYPE 1 DIABETES

The signs of type 1 diabetes are usually deceitful, but they can be very severe if disregarded,
or when adequate measures are not taken. The symptoms, according to Daneman (2006)
includes:

 Increased hunger, especially after meals

 Frequent urination
 Fatigue
 Extreme thirst
 Unexpected or impromptu loss of weight even though the person is eating correctly,
in terms of a balanced diet and not missing meals
 Dry mouth
 Bedwetting is a kid who has not been given any water at night
 Stomach upset and vomiting
 Blurred vision
 Mode changes
 Laboured breathing
 The frequent occurrence of skin infections, as well as urinary tract, or vagina

1.3.1.2 SITUATIONS FOR EMERGENCY WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES

Irrespective of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, some signs can trigger emergency with type
one diabetes, and such signs include:

Belly pain: in a case when the person begins to experience constant belly pain, it is
imperative to contact or reach the nearest hospital for immediate medical attention. In such a
case, the mobile application can provide directions to nearby hospitals to aid the patient in
getting prompt medical attention.

Confusion and shaking: this can be seen when someone begins to experience disorientation
both in their words and their ability to stand still or hold things firmly. In such a case, it is
very vital to seek medical attention.

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Rapid breathing: this is also seen as shallow breathing which occurs when someone takes
more breaths than usual in a given minute. In other words, it is essential to seek medical
attention when someone does not take a normal breath which is usually between 12 to 20
breaths per minute.

Loss of consciousness: this can be a partial or complete loss of consciousness with

interruption of awareness of one's surroundings or self and such case with a diabetic patient
requires emergency medical attention.

Fruity smell to breath: this is usually caused by a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis
(DKA) where some dangerous ketones are being developed in the body; thereby causing the
body to break down some fat for energy. This can cause one’s breath to smell like nail polish;
so, such cases require emergency attention which can be proceeded with the help of the app.

1.3.1.3 PRIMARY CAUSES OF TYPE 1 DIABETES

The body cells make use of insulin as fuel; so, it is a hormone that helps to move glucose or
sugar into the tissues of the body. Thus, any damage caused to the beta cells from the type 1
diabetes, removes the process; thereby affecting the free flow of glucose into the body cells
due to the absence of insulin to carry out the task. Instead, it develops in the blood and causes
the cells to starve, which triggers high blood sugar. This is most likely to be caused by some
elements such as genes, environmental factors such as viruses.

1.3.1.4 POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF UNTREATED TYPE 1 DIABETES

Complications that are likely to emerge from untreated type 1 diabetes can affect significant
parts or organs in the patients’ body, including the eyes, heart, kidneys, blood vessels and
nerves. Such complications are as follows:

 Cardiovascular disease

Neglecting the treatment of type 1 diabetes can potentially put someone in a high risk
of blood clots as well as cholesterol and high blood pressure, which might later lead to
heart attack, chest pain, heart failure or stroke.

 Gum diseases: some things such as too much plaque, lack of saliva and reduced flow
of blood are likely to cause mouth issues.
 Kidney damage: research has shown that about 20% to 30% of type 1 diabetes
patients are most likely to experience a condition called nephropathy, especially when
it is neglected, and the chances can escalate over time. Engum et al. (2015) affirms

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that it is most likely to be seen 15 to years after the type 1 diabetes is diagnosed.
However, this can be prevented by monitoring the blood sugar, blood pressure,
triglycerides and cholesterol.
 Retinopathy: This is another complication which is likely to occur when a diabetic
patient disregards the proper and on-time intake of medications that can aid to control
the diabetes issues. For instance, Niewczas et al. (2012) asserts that eye problem tends
to be seen in about 80% of the adults that are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for more
than fifteen years.
 Poor blood flow and damage of nerve: this complication is usually noticed on the
feet as damaged nerves and blocked arteries can likely affect the flow of blood to the
feet and loss of feeling. In most cases, it feels like the patient is suffering from a
stroke where some parts of the body will feel numb. This issue is likely to raise the
chances of the patient having injuries and makes it difficult for open wounds and
sores to heal.

1.3.2 TYPE 2 DIABETES

Type 2 diabetes is usually
diagnosed when the human
body fails to make or use
insulin very well. In other
words, the body might resist
insulin or produce insulin but
does not want to make use of
it efficiently; thereby causing the blood sugar to escalate. In this case, the individual is most
likely to have type 2 diabetes if the resistance of insulin is not controlled. Unlike the type one
diabetes, which mostly starts at early in life, type 2 diabetes can develop at any age even
during childhood. However, this type of diabetes mostly develops in middle-aged and older
people and can be as a result of excessive weight, being physically inactive. So, it is the most
common type of diabetes which requires daily monitoring and control.

1.3.2.1 SYMPTOMS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES

Similar to the signs of type 1 diabetes, the symptoms and signs of type 2 diabetes often
develop slowly. In most cases, people tend to have type 2 diabetes for many years before they
realise that it is in their body. So, everyone needs to use the app in order to avoid the
implication of having type 2 diabetes for long under ignorance. Some of the symptoms and

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signs, as highlighted by Vestergaard, Rejnmark and Mosekilde (2009) are listed below.
Although some of the symptoms are similar to the ones experienced in type 1 diabetes, there
are some differences in the way they appear, especially in adults and children.

 Fatigue
 Blurred Vision
 Increased thirst
 Constant urination
 Frequent infections of all kind
 Darkened skin in some areas of the body, like neck and armpits
 Slow-healing wounds and sores
 Unintended loss of weight
 Frequent hunger

1.3.2.2 PRIMARY CAUSES OF TYPE 2 DIABETES

As shown in the image, type
2 diabetes is likely to occur
when the body builds
resistance against insulin or
when the pancreas is not able
to produce enough insulin to
the body cells. In this case,
the insulin moves less
glucose to the cells, which in
turn, build more glucose in
the blood. The insulin, as
explained by Haffner (2003),
is a hormone that emanates
from the gland, just behind
and below the stomach. The
work of the pancreas is to secrete insulin into the bloodstream and then the insulin circulates,
allowing the sugar to enter the body cells. In this case, the insulin lowers the requisite amount
of sugar into the bloodstream. In this case, the secretion of insulin from the body pancreas
drops alongside the sugar level. At this level, the glucose comes from two primary sources

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which are the liver and the food, and sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it goes
into the cells with the aid of the insulin.

So, the glucose is made and stored by the liver; then when the glucose level goes down, such
as when someone has not had food in a while, the liver tends to break down the stored
glycogen into the glucose to keep the level of glucose within a healthy range. However, this
process does not work correctly in type 2 diabetes as shown in the image, because instead of
entering into the body cells, the sugar builds up in the bloodstream. So, as the blood sugar
level increases, more insulin is being released by the insulin-producing beta cells in the
pancreas. This reason for this is yet to be ascertained; however, some medical experts have
attributed it to some environmental factors such as being inactive and being overweight.

1.3.3 GESTATIONAL DIABETES

This type of diabetes usually develops in some women during pregnancy. In most cases, this
type of diabetes disappears after childbirth. However,

1.4 IMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES

Aside from the specific implications of diabetes, there are general implications in terms of
health, economic and social implications. So, everyone must understand and know the
primary reason why the technological approach can be implemented to resist and control the
spread of diabetes.

1.4.1 GENERAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES

Subsequent studies have shown that high sugar levels in the blood are a significant cause of
uncontrolled diabetes. However, studies have also shown that sugar is derived from the food
people eat. In other words, foods contribute to the elevated blood sugar that affects the
production and circulation of insulin. Thus, untreated or uncontrolled diabetes, whether type
1, type 2 or gestational is likely to cause damage to the heart, kidney, blood vessels, nerves
and eyes. Other health implications from diabetes include:

 Diabetic neuropathy: this is a significant factor that causes severe damage to the
nerves and it can be due to diabetes as subsequent studies have found that it affects up
to 50% people diagnosed with diabetes (Haffner, 2003). Some common symptoms
such as tingling, numbness, or weakness in the feet and hands and pain can be seen in
a long-term.

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 Subsequent studies have also shown that diabetes is among the leading causes of
kidney failure. A report given by Atkinson, Eisenbarth and Michels (2014) shows that
about 10-20% of people diagnosed with diabetes die as a result of kidney failure.
 Vestergaard, Rejnmark and Mosekilde (2009) mentions diabetes as diseases that
increase the risk of stroke and heart disease and stroke as 50% of people diagnosed
with the diseases die of cardiovascular disease which is primarily stroke and heart
disease and stroke.
 Diabetic retinopathy: one of the worst implications of diabetes to human health is
diabetic retinopathy because it is the primary cause of blindness in many. This usually
occurs due to long-term accumulated damage to the minor blood vessels in the retina.
Subsequent reports have shown that about 10% of diabetic patients are most likely to
develop severe visual impairment after15 years of being diabetic.

1.4.2 ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES

Aside from the health implications, the complications brought by diabetes likely imposes
significant economic consequences on patients, their families, friends, society, as well as
country and health systems. This implication is because most people living with diabetes, as
well as their loved ones and families, feel the impact directly in terms of cost of medications
and other factors emanating from diabetes. In most cases, they spend much money treating
diabetes with medications which can substantially affect the income of a family when
diabetes affects their professional work.

1.5 PREVENTION OF DIABETES

Given the implications that are likely to arise due to diabetes, adequate preventive measures
or actions need to be taken in order to avoid such implications, because reports have shown
that diabetes-related deaths are likely to increase by more than 50% in the next ten years in
urgent actions are not taken. However, Niewczas et al. (2012) recommended some actions
that can be taken by diabetic patients to prevent the prevalence of the diseases and their
implications. Such measures are:

 Avoid or cease immense consumption of tobacco in order to avoid complications

 Maintain and achieve a healthy body weight.
 Engage in early diagnosis by undergoing inexpensive blood tests
 Being active physically for at least 30 minutes daily with regular activities, as well as
engaging in moderate-intensity activity mostly.

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 Another effective way to treat diabetes involves reducing the blood sugar and the
levels of other risk factors that are known to cause damage to the blood vessels.

1.5.1 TREATMENT AND SELF-MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES

Aside from the mentioned actions, the treatment of diabetes is mostly beneficial through the
application of self-management routines and practices. However, Gohda et al. (2012) claims
that the management of diabetes varies based on type and severity; for instance, patients with
type 1 diabetes can be advised to use insulin for the long-life treatment alongside a broad
spectrum of doses, which includes multiple doses of insulin pumps and injections. In some
cases, patients with type 1 diabetes are advised to monitor their glycemic control in terms of
controlling the cholesterol level and blood pressure. In this respect, DeWitt and Hirsch (2003)
reports that optimal control of glycemic requires the patient to monitor the glucose levels
multiple times every day, as well as modify the diets, insulin, and physical activity as
required.

For patients with type 2 diabetes, management is mostly focused on lifestyle changes such as
physical activity and diet; so, pieces of advice given to the patients will relate more on the
physical activities that they can do and diets they need to take or abstain from in order to
manage the diseases correctly. However, the management of type 2 diabetes is likely to
include the use of oral hypoglycemic medications. In most cases, patients with type 2
diabetes are advised to make use of insulin in place of or addition to other medications to
acquire the best glycemic control.

1.6 APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES

Based on the different types of diabetes and the preventive measures required to control the
complications from uncontrolled diabetes. In this regard, the proposed system will play a
vital role in providing responsive and specific bits of advice for type 1 and type 2 diabetic
patients, as well as the public on the things that can be done to prevent the complications
raised by diabetes as well as self-management. The primary goal of applying technology in
self-management of diabetes is to improve the quality of life of diabetic patients, as well as
improve their productivity in society. Previous studies have highlighted the primary
modalities involved in managing diabetes, which is the use of drugs in terms of tablets to
lower insulin and blood sugar. Secondly, the non-drug method which includes advice on
physical activity and the use of proper diet.

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1.6.1 TYPES OF ADVICE TO BE PROVIDED BY THE USE TECHNOLOGY

Members of the community, including diabetic patients, are required to know that the disease
is a severe lifelong disease that has no verified treatment but can be controlled. Likewise,
they should be aware that the pillars of management include:
 Knowing the proper foods to eat, including the quantity and how often they
would eat
 Being fully aware of the precautions and importance of physical exercise and
how and when they are required to take diabetes medications
Notwithstanding, the technology will advise the community members and the people who
have diabetes of the importance of conducting regular check-ups with a doctor or by using
self-test technologies. However, diabetic patients will be required by the technology to know
how to identify and respond to diabetes-related emergencies that are most likely to arise due
to high or low blood sugar levels. In this case, the system will be able to provide options for
medical units that can be approached in emergencies. Pregnant mothers will not be excluded
among the people to be advised as the technology will encourage them to conduct regular
check-ups to monitor their blood sugars.
1.6.2 ADVICE ON HEALTHY DIET
Pickup and Keen (2002) reports the primary steps in managing people with diabetes to
include eating healthy diets and increasing the level of physical activity. So, the advice being
provided will include:
1.6.2.1 DIETARY PRACTICES REQUIRED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES
According to Ryan, Jobe and Martin (2005), an appropriate diet is one of the essential
requirements in maintaining the ideal body weight and controlling diabetes. In this regard,
advises given to the community and the people with diabetes should include the reduction in
the intake of animal fat. The level of animal fat in a portion of food can be detected and
reported with the aid of augmented reality. In this case, the app will recommend the types of
foods and the quantity required to take in order to abstain or control diabetes. Rosenbloom et
al. (1999) mentions local food with high fiber, as well as fruits, vegetables as the essential
diets that can be recommended to diabetic patients and community members. The application
will also provide advice on the varieties of food that can be taken at least three times every
day to control or abstain from any diabetes. Research has shown that alcohol contains some
elements of sugar; so, too much intake or consumption of alcohol and tobacco products
should be avoided (Hales and Barker, 2001). Mostly, water is articulated as a vital substance
that supports the functioning of the body, and experts have identified it as a significant factor
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in the management of diabetes. So, bits of advice will be given to the community members
and people with diabetes to take at least eight glasses of water every day to ensure proper
circulation of blood.
1.6.3 ADVICE ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
One of the activities in managing or controlling different types of diabetes is to engage in
regular physical activity which will help in so many ways, such as:
 To control the blood pressure
 Increase the sensitivity of insulin sensitivity, as well as to improve the control
of the blood sugar
 To improve the flow of blood in the heart and vessels
 To reduce body weight and ensure full maintenance of healthy body weight.
Moreover, McCarthy (2010) recommends physical activity to be a routine, especially for
diabetic patients. In this regard, community members, as well as people with diabetes, can be
advised to involve in physical activity for about three days/week. The activity can be advised
to time to last for at least 20-30 min for each session.
 Below are some examples of physical activities that would be recommended to the
community members and diabetic patients by the application. Such includes:
 Involving in daily house chores
 Climbing stairs, especially for people that live in houses with stairs
 Taking a long walk for at least two kilometres daily
 Gardening
 Swimming
 Indoor activities such as press-ups, sit-ups and squatting
 Jogging
 Jumping ropes
 Lifting weights
 Playing games
 Cycling
Therefore, the application of technology will provide excellent advice to community
members and the people who have diabetes.

1.7 APPLICATION OF AUGMENTED REALITY (AR)

Augmented reality is one of the revolutionary technologies that tents to impose the layers of
virtual content on a real environment using a smartphone to aim at a designated area to see a

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scene or still image come to life (Azuma et al., 2001). The history of augmented reality did
not start in the 21st century but started since 1968 when Ivan Sutherland first developed the
head-mounted display (HMD) system. The first HMD system was designed to use computer-
generated graphics to show simple wireframe drawings. Later in 1974, Myron Krueger
amplified the idea to build a Virtual reality laboratory, which was called the Video place
(Carmigniani et al., 2011). As shown in the image below, the Video place was designed with
the combination of projectors, video cameras to show contents in a real-world environment
(See Figure 1 Video Place).

Through this process, augmented reality has emerged as has begun to transform different
sectors and human life, especially its use in society. Unlike virtual reality, AR tends to merge
the real world with the virtual world. In other words, it adds digital objects to a real-world
while virtual reality creates a computer-generated reality.

1.8 AR DISPLAY DEVICES/TECHNOLOGIES

Augmented reality is rendered or displayed using some specific technologies which translate
an image into reality; such technologies are:

1.8.1 MOBILE DEVICES

Mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones are one of the devices that interpret
augmented reality. AR mainly makes use of some components of mobile phones such as
camera, sensors and GPS in order to operate effectively. So, with the help of an AR

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application, users will be allowed to see holograms and manipulate 3D models via the
window of the viewers. This will concretely be applicable in the design of the diabetes
advisor, as AR will be powered on a mobile app to translate contents to real-life.

1.8.2 COMPUTERS AND TELEVISIONS

Most applications of AR are made using a computer or on connected TV players. On these
devices, AR is being operated via the webcam and displayed on the computer or TV screen.
(See Figure 8 AR device technologies).

1.8.3 HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAYS, GLASSES, LENSES

Most usage of AR is implemented using some devices such as AR-powered glasses, lenses
and on head-mounted displays. With such devices, AR tends to become part becomes a part
of the user’s entire field of view by bringing different things to life. (See Figure 8 AR device
technologies).

Figure 8 AR device technologies

1.9 USE CASES OF AUGMENTED REALITY

Augmented reality has been used in a different context, especially in hospitals, manufacturing
industries and education sector.

1.9.1 AUGMENTED REALITY IN HOSPITALS

Subsequent studies by Barfield (2015), had reported how AR technology has been used by
several hospitals, especially by surgeons during operation or to provide an x-ray vision of a
volumetric rendered image of the foetus of a pregnant woman as shown in the image below.
Likewise, surgeons make use of AR as a guide to maintain accuracy during surgery (Nilsson
and Johansson, 2007).

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Figure 9 Image overlaying on an abdomen of a pregnant woman

1.9.2 AUGMENTED REALITY IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES

Subsequent studies have shown that the first use of AR was seen in the manufacturing
industry and its use in the sector has grown over the years, especially in enhancing
manufacturing processes, process and product development, reducing cost and improving
quality (Furht, 2011). In 2013, AR hardware and software was introduced by top giants in the
car manufacturing industry as new century vehicle service manuals. For instance,
Volkswagen created the MARTA app which was a mobile AR app for providing technical
assistance. This app provides step-by-step assistance to service technicians to aid in the repair
processes.

1.9.3 AUGMENTED REALITY IN EDUCATION

AR has been applied in educational institutions to aid and enhance teaching and learning
through the use of virtual objects that tend to allow students or learners to visualise complex
relationships. Also, Burdea and Coiffet (2006) report that AR provides teachers with highly
interactive and visual forms of learning. In this regard, AR apps have been integrated as a
tool for learning such as AR books, AR gaming, and Object modelling.

1.9.4 AUGMENTED REALITY-BASED DIABETES ADVISOR

Having considered the use cases of augmented reality, this technology will be applied to
advice diabetic patients and community members on the different tasks or activities to
perform in order to control the complications associated with diabetes. For instance, AR will
be able to scan through food menus and advise the user on the level of sugar contained in the
food. Also, it will help the user to decide the quantity that can be taken to avoid

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complications. This will be very useful to both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients because it
can calculate the exact amount of insulin required. With this technology, people with
diabetics can receive pieces of advice without going to the hospital just by overlaying their
mobile phone upon the food or drinks they wish to consume. Community members will also
benefit from the implementation of the AR as they will be provided advice on different things
that would help them to remain healthy or abstain from the risk of diabetes. This will include,
scanning of snacks, foods, drinks, medications, and every consumable item.

2. CONCLUSION
This chapter studied different piece of literatures relating to diabetes and the application of
technology in managing and controlling the spread of diabetes and its complications in the
society. Also, existing technologies were studied alongside the proposed Augmented Reality
technology in providing real-world and interactive advice to community members and people
with diabetes.

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