Tool One: Fitbit
The Fitbit Force is a watch that incorporates a multiple axis accelerometer and altimeter to measure steps taken, flights of stairs climbed, distance traveled, number of “active minutes” and reports the time. I got the Fitbit Force for Christmas and have since been using the wristband and Fitbit iOS app in conjunction to monitor my physical activity, food, and drink intake.  I must say that the information provided by these tools has been insightful and very welcome.  I plan to continue using them for the foreseeable future. My caloric intake has changed in response to my recordings and I have become conscious of the amount of physical activity I perform or lack thereof when I fail to leave the house because it is too cold outside. Unfortunately, due to its placement, the Force cannot keep track of my biking activity, so I have to estimate the intensity and duration of my commute. Otherwise, I think it is fairly accurate and a useful tool.

Tool Two: OpenPaths
OpenPaths is a service that uses a smartphone app to track my location (assuming my phone is with me). The data is uploaded to OpenPaths’ servers where I can view my location data and download it in a variety of convenient formats. I’m pretty excited about using this tool to track my location.  It doesn’t require much effort to use it either since it just runs in the background on my smartphone.  In the week that I have used it, I have already become self-conscious about my lack of a social life since it shows that I have essentially been nowhere besides CMU campus and my abode in Lawrenceville. Again, I blame this fact on the cold weather.

Tool Three: RescueTime
RescueTime is a utility that runs in the background of a device and tracks users’ time spent with programs and websites.  It also gives reports that indicate how much time was spent on which activities. I have to thank Ticha’s post for informing me about this tool. I spent all day looking for a tool to track my activities on my computer before seeing it.  I spend so much time on this machine that it would be neglectful to not incorporate my digital activities when quantifying myself.  In the short time that I have used it, I have been impressed by its detail and usefulness.  Also, I plan to incorporate this data into my parametric object project, because I have long wished to create a physical manifestation of my procrastination. I imagine creating a messy 3D print of an object that represents the quality and quantity of things that I use to distract myself on the Internet.