Objective: To summarize the current status of, and the current expert opinions, recommendation and evidence associated with the use and implementation of electronic health (eHealth), telemedicine, and/or telehealth to provide healthcare services for chronic disease patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: We searched four electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science Core Collection) to identify relevant articles published between 2019 and 2020. Searches were restricted to English language articles only. Two independent reviewers screened the titles, abstracts, and keywords for relevance. The potential eligible articles, papers with no abstract, and those that fall into the uncertain category were read in full text independently. The reviewers met and discussed which articles to include in the final review and reached a consensus. Results: We identified 51 articles of which 25 articles met the inclusion criteria. All included articles indicated the promising potential of eHealth, telehealth, and/or telemedicine solutions in delivering healthcare services to patients living with chronic diseases/conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. We synthesized the main findings into ten usages and eight recommendations concerning the different activities for delivering healthcare services remotely for those living with chronic diseases/conditions in the era of COVID-19. Discussion and conclusions: There is limited evidence available about the effectiveness of such solutions. Further research is required during this pandemic to improve the credibility of evidence on telemedicine, telehealth, and/or eHealth-related outcomes for those living with chronic diseases.

Deaf-mute people have much potential to contribute to society. However, communication between deaf-mutes and non-deaf-mutes is a problem that isolates deaf-mutes from society and prevents them from interacting with others. In this study, an information technology intervention, intelligent gloves (IG), a prototype of a two-way communication glove, was developed to facilitate communication between deaf-mutes and non-deaf-mutes. IG consists of a pair of gloves, flex sensors, an Arduino nano, a screen with a built-in microphone, a speaker, and an SD card module. To facilitate communication from the deaf-mutes to the non-deaf-mutes, the flex sensors sense the hand gestures and connected wires, and then transmit the hand movement signals to the Arduino nano where they are translated into words and sentences. The output is displayed on a small screen attached to the gloves, and it is also issued as voice from the speakers attached to the gloves. For communication from the non-deaf-mutes to the deaf-mute, the built-in microphone in the screen senses the voice, which is then transmitted to the Arduino nano to translate it to sentences and sign language, which are displayed on the screen using a 3D avatar. A unit testing of IG has shown that it performed as expected without errors. In addition, IG was tested on ten participants, and it has been shown to be both usable and accepted by the target users.

Objective: This paper reviews the recent gamified interventions that focus on the dietary factor to explore the effectiveness of using gaming elements in combating the prevalence of childhood obesity. Methods: Two electronic databases were searched (PubMed and ProQuest); to identify the relevant papers published between 2018 and 2021. The keywords that use to search the entire selected databases were gamification and obesity. There were no restrictions regarding the language. Two independent reviewers screened the titles, abstracts, and keywords for relevance. Results: 407 papers were identified initially, while only 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most of the included articles indicated the positive impact of gamification on changing children eating behaviors. This systematic review summarizes the theories followed in developing such interventions and suggests some other theories to use and follow. Moreover, we synthesized the main findings into six recommendations that would assist in combating the global concern regarding childhood obesity if IS/IT researchers and other implement them during the development of any IT intervention. Conclusions: Using gamification and gaming elements in imparting nutritional knowledge to children and improving their eating habits and behaviors is considered effective generally. It provides them with the needed knowledge and promotes the acquisition of better habits within enjoyable environment.

The visualization of objects of an abstract nature has always been a challenge for chemistry learners. Thus, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have been heavily invested in as immersive learning methods for these concepts. This study targets the segment of the chemistry curriculum involving the chemical elements of the periodic table. For this purpose, we developed the AR educational tool called MicroWorld. This Arabic educational AR app was developed in unity with Vuforia SDK. Using MicroWorld, students can visualize chemical elements microstructures in 3D, see 3D models of the elements in their substantial forms, and combine two chemical elements to see how certain chemical compounds can be formed. In this work, MicroWorld’s usability was evaluated by junior high school students and chemistry teachers using the Arabic system usability scale (A-SUS). The A-SUS average score was 71.5 for junior high school students, while the scale for teachers reached 76. This research aims to design, develop, and evaluate the AR app, MicroWorld. This app was built and evaluated through the lens of the design science research paradigm.

The integration of technology in elementary education offers innovative ways to enhance learning. One such advancement is the use of three-dimensional holograms (3DH), which provide immersive displays that merge seamlessly with the learner’s environment, creating a dynamic and engaging atmosphere. Educators have found that 3D visual tools significantly improve student comprehension, with 94.4% agreeing in a preliminary study. However, using interactive 3D holography alone has limitations, such as the inability for students to physically touch or manipulate holographic objects. To address this, Active Learning with Holo-Kid (ALHK) is introduced as a desktop application for elementary school students (grades 1 to 6). ALHK combines Leap Motion technology’s precision with interactive 3D holography to overcome these limitations. The combination allows students to interact with virtual objects in a more immersive and realistic manner. Holograms provide visual representation, while Leap Motion enables precise gesture recognition and hand tracking, resulting in a seamless and intuitive user experience. Initial evaluations demonstrate improved student engagement and comprehension. Future iterations aim to enhance scalability by incorporating features like custom object upload, multi-user interaction, and broader age applicability. ALHK shows promise as a tool for creating an immersive and intuitive learning environment using 3D holograms and interactive technology in elementary education.

Despite the availability of online educational resources about human papillomavirus (HPV), many women around the world may be prevented from obtaining the necessary knowledge about HPV. One way to mitigate the lack of HPV knowledge is the use of auto-generated text summarization tools. This study compares the level of HPV knowledge between women who read an auto-generated summary of HPV made using the BERT deep learning model and women who read a long-form text of HPV. We randomly assigned 386 women to two conditions: half read an auto-generated summary text about HPV (n = 193) and half read an original text about HPV (n = 193). We administrated measures of HPV knowledge that consisted of 29 questions. As a result, women who read the original text were more likely to correctly answer two questions on the general HPV knowledge subscale than women who read the summarized text. For the HPV testing knowledge subscale, there was a statistically significant difference in favor of women who read the original text for only one question. The final subscale, HPV vaccination knowledge questions, did not significantly differ across groups. Using BERT for text summarization has shown promising effectiveness in increasing women’s knowledge and awareness about HPV while saving their time.