JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Software solutions for stress monitoring offer significant potential in healthcare, particularly for vulnerable populations such as individuals with dementia or persistent physical symptoms. Despite advances in stress-monitoring technology, designing user-centered, ethically grounded, and contextually relevant software solutions remains challenging, thus inhibiting successful and scalable implementation. Vulnerable populations often have specific cognitive, physical, and emotional needs that require customization, yet these are rarely prioritized in mainstream software development.

Objective:

In this article, we pursue two aims: first, to describe how the Sensors2Care project operationalized the Transdisciplinary Approach (TDA) within learning communities (LCs) to guide the development of stress-monitoring software; and second, to share insights into stakeholder needs and design considerations, derived from this approach, for wearable technologies in complex healthcare contexts. We illustrate how TDA, embedded in an LC structure, supported the gathering and refinement of user needs, the co-development of prototypes, and alignment of ethical, technical, clinical, and legal perspectives in the design process.

Methods:

Within our LC, we applied a TDA grounded in participatory design research. The process continuously cycled between gathering user requirements, developing software prototypes, and evaluating their relevance through stakeholder feedback. Literature reviews, focus groups and interviews, legal analysis, and field testing informed the design process. User stories were used not only to capture stakeholder needs, but also as a methodological tool to structure transdisciplinary collaboration and facilitate alignment across technical, clinical, legal, and experiential perspectives. Through this iterative structure, feedback from diverse stakeholders, including students, researchers, healthcare providers, (in)formal caregivers, patients, and industry partners, was continuously integrated into the refinement of prototypes and requirements. Reflexivity and stakeholder engagement were central to aligning cross-domain considerations throughout the development process.

Results:

User stories revealed key themes for wearable design. Stakeholders emphasized the need for customization, durability, and comfort, especially given the cognitive and physical challenges faced by populations with dementia or persistent physical symptoms. Early evaluation of prototypes confirmed the practical relevance of these features while highlighting the lack of insight into user experiences over extended periods of use. The iterative prototyping process successfully integrated diverse perspectives, demonstrating the value of TDA in LCs in bridging disciplinary and stakeholder divides.

Conclusions:

This project highlights the importance of tailoring stress-monitoring software to the needs of vulnerable populations and demonstrates how TDA, combined with participatory design research, fosters inclusivity and relevance. While the project achieved significant advances, the absence of evaluations for market-ready software and limited stakeholder diversity (e.g., lack of policy makers and insurance companies) present areas for future research. Embedding TDA principles into LCs, by integrating them into educational curricula in domains such as health, legal, and computer sciences could prepare the next generation of professionals to tackle healthcare challenges collaboratively.