Wearable Technology to Support Early Child Language Experiences: What's Important to Parents and Clinicians?

Emerging research evidence has demonstrated the potential for digital tools, such as automated language processing technology, to support parent-child interactions. Making use of digital tools can aid measurement of parent interaction metrics, additionally, providing contingent feedback to parents based on their language metrics can facilitate positive changes in their everyday input to their young children. Product innovation aside, there is a distinct lack of understanding about how best to integrate real-world, user design needs and preferences to improve deployment of technologies into routine clinical interventions. The present study explored salient requirements of a wearable language tracking device from the users' perspectives. Mothers of young children and clinicians with experience working in paediatric settings completed a written questionnaire and rated the importance of specific functions and features of a child-worn, language tracking device on a 10-point Likert scale. There was strong rating consensus across the participants that comfort, reliability and the provision of clear and useful results were of greater importance. The need for the wearable language tracking device to 'blend in' with different types of clothing was rated as less important. The extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model was employed as a framework for addressing these importance ratings in this population of interest. This study highlighted the need to consider user-focused service design. Addressing user's preferences could facilitate greater technology adoption which ultimately enriches the language experiences for young children.