Combining Global Positioning System and Accelerometer Data: tools, methods, and headaches
Creators: name: Fuller, Daniel
name: Stanley, Kevin
name: Voss, Christine
name: Winters, Meghan
name: Firth, Caislin
name: Kestens, Yan
Publisher: name: The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada
Year: 2022

description: Purpose: This workshop will present, discuss, and share tools, methods, and challenges for researchers interested in combining Global Positioning System (GPS) and accelerometer data. There has been considerable research and technical development in this area including the creation and distribution of tools like the Personal Activity and Location Measurement System (PALMS) and the development of new tool systems for example, Human Activity Behavior Identification Tool and data Unification System (HABITUS). Despite the development of these tools, there are still many challenges and methodological developments required before researchers are able to fully take advantage of combine GPS and accelerometer data. This workshop will provide an overview of these challenges and some of the state of the art methods in this area. Learning Objectives: This 90-minute workshop will cover tools, methods, and challenges of combining GPS and accelerometer data. We will begin with a brief history of the promise of combining these data, including spatiotemporal physical activity measurement, transportation mode detection, and improved exposure measurement. We will use case studies from the INTerventions, Research, and Action in Cities Team (INTERACT) studies to evidence the advantages and difficulties of combining data. We will outline the utility and operation of off the shelf tools (ArcGIS, QGIS), code based (R, python), and bespoke methods for combining these data. We will provide methodological guidance for researchers on how to combine these data to answer research questions. For example, how to treat GPS data sparseness compared to high velocity accelerometer data? What are new metrics to understand combined spatial and physical activity data? Finally, we will outline common challenges and propose solutions to those challenges when researchers are combining these data, for example, ensuring matching time stamps and resampling data. Learning objective 1: Manage the complex trade-offs of combining GPS and accelerometer data. Learning objective 2: Understand the advantages and disadvantages of different data analysis tools. Learning objective 3: Use tools to combine GPS and accelerometer data. Learning objective 4: Learn about key spatio-temporal indicators of physical activity from combined GPS and accelerometer data. Target Audience: The target audience for this workshop is students and researchers who plan to or are working on combining GPS and accelerometer data. Organization and Method of Presentation: This workshop will combine three primary methods of presentation, small group discussion, application of methods, and demonstration of more advanced methods. The content and sample data for the workshop will all be publicly available so that materials can be accessed in the future. Conclusions: This workshop will contribute to advancing the standardization and use of combined GPS and accelerometer data. This research is crucial to healthy cities, parks, and recreation research, and to the promotion of holistic physical activity.
description: The Health &amp; Fitness Journal of Canada, Vol. 14 No. 3 (2021): Proceedings from the 8th International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress