Hicclip: Sonification of Augmented Eating Sounds to Intervene Snacking Behaviors

In this paper, we present a field study on using sonification of augmented eating sounds to intervene snacking behaviors in daily routines. The sonic feedback achieved through a snack storing device named Hicclip for verifying snacking behaviors and producing augmented eating sounds. The study was conducted with nine participants who were commonly addicted to snacking. The effectiveness of the sonification was examined by comparing snack-related data and questionnaire over the three study weeks: a baseline week, a Hicclip intervention week, and a post-intervention week. We also analyzed interview results to understand user experiences and opportunities for future research. Quantitative results showed that the snacking pattern has been improved due to reduced eating duration and snack consumptions. Qualitative results suggested that Hicclip may benefit self-regulation, afford easy adoption, and support data acquisition. We discuss design implications for embodiment of augmented eating sounds for healthy snacking.