Abstract: A method and apparatus for assisting a user to formulate, apply and adhere to a changed behavior program. The user's commitment is established by presenting a number of potential barriers to implementing a desired behavioral change; asking a user to select one or more potential barriers; presenting a selected number of possible solutions to the barriers, receiving user input selecting at least one solution; and prompting the user to enter a commitment to one or more actions intended to assist the behavioral change. Maintenance of an exercise regime is assisted by displaying a selection of options for activities to be included in the exercise regime; allowing a user to select activities; displaying a schedule of planned exercise activities; and sending an electronic alert message to the user in advance of the scheduled activity.

Abstract: An automated method and computer interface for stimulating a user to develop and/or alter their implicit attitudes towards behavioral objects, such as dieting, alcohol consumption or exercising etc. The method comprising presenting a series of stimuli to the user within a test environment, each stimulus being associated with a behavioral object. The test environment may be a computer display screen, wherein the method designates a first zone within the environment as a positive behavioral association region and designates a second zone within the environment as a negative behavioral association region. The method further prompting the user to categorize each stimulus by moving the stimulus to either the first zone or the second zone, wherein positively categorizing stimuli causes the user to develop improved implicit attitudes towards the behavioral objects associated with those stimuli in the first zone. The invention is particularly suited for implementation within web-browser and desktop environments.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assisting a user to formulate, apply and adhere to a changed behaviour program. The user's commitment is established by presenting a number of potential barriers to implementing a desired behavioural change; asking a user to select one or more potential barriers; presenting a selected number of possible solutions to the barriers, receiving user input selecting at least one solution; and prompting the user to enter a commitment to one or more actions intended to assist the behavioural change. Maintenance of an exercise regime is assisted by displaying a selection of options for activities to be included in the exercise regime; allowing a user to select activities; displaying a schedule of planned exercise activities; and sending an electronic alert message to the user in advance of the scheduled activity.

Abstract: An automated method and computer interface for stimulating a user to develop and/or alter their implicit attitudes towards behavioural objects, such as dieting, alcohol consumption or exercising etc. The method comprising presenting a series of stimuli to the user within a test environment, each stimulus being associated with a behavioural object. The test environment may be a computer display screen, wherein the method designates a first zone within the environment as a positive behavioural association region and designates a second zone within the environment as a negative behavioural association region. The method further prompting the user to categorise each stimulus by moving the stimulus to either the first zone or the second zone, wherein positively categorising stimuli causes the user to develop improved implicit attitudes towards the behavioural objects associated with those stimuli in the first zone. The invention is particularly suited for implementation within web-browser and desktop environments.

Abstract: A computer interface and a method of operating the same for interacting with a user to improve the user's ability to sub-consciously shield an identified goal, such as eating healthily, taking regular exercise and studying for exams. The method comprising presenting the user with a series of stimuli, each stimulus suitable for prompting a response from the user, and monitoring the user's responses to the stimuli. The method further comprising determining, as a function of the responses, whether the user's behaviour is consistent with shielding the goal and presenting the user with one or more rewards dependent on the degree of shielding exhibited by the user. The computer interface and method are particularly suited for implementation on mobile computing devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs, as well as within Internet web browsing environments.

Abstract: An automated method for boosting and/or maintaining a sense of well being of a person an automated method and apparatus assists individuals in regularly breaking out of immediate stressful situations which may otherwise contribute to long term deterioration in their health, well-being and/or vitality. The method is implemented by a data processing device and includes (a) sending an initiation message to the user requesting an indication of a sense of well being of the user; (b) receiving, from the user, a quantitative indication of the user's sense of wellbeing; and (c) based on the received quantitative indication, sending to the user at least one instruction message indicating an activity to be implemented by the user.

Abstract: An apparatus for behaviour monitoring on mobile computing devices and a method of operating such devices for adaptively profiling users and for optimising user profile storage requirements. The method comprising monitoring a behaviour of the user by interpreting one or more interactions between the device and the user and storing information relating to the behaviour of the user in at least a partially parameterised form. The method further comprising determining whether the user is exhibiting any changes in behaviour as a function of a variation in one or more parameters within the stored information.

Abstract: An apparatus for explicit and implicit attitude reaction monitoring on mobile computing devices and a method of operating such devices for interacting with a user and for guiding a behaviour of the user. The method comprising presenting the user with a series of tasks, each task requiring at least one response from the user and receiving the responses to the tasks from the user. The method further comprising, determining as a function of the received responses, one or more differences in the explicit and implicit attitudes of the user towards performing an intended behaviour, and delivering at least one message to the user, as a result of the differences in attitude, so as to guide the user to perform the intended behaviour.

Abstract: A human-computer interface for automated adaptive persuasion dialogue and a method of operating such an interface. The method comprising presenting a user with a series of decision points, each requiring the user to select one of a plurality of possible decision options; presenting the user with at least one persuasion message corresponding to each of the possible decision options, each persuasion message being selected according to one of a plurality of different persuasion strategies and receiving the user selection of one of the possible decision options. The presenting and receiving steps are then repeated to obtain user selected decision options for decision points based on a plurality of persuasion strategies to determine a persuasion strategy that is optimised for the user, allowing subsequent persuasion messages to be delivered to the user based on the optimised persuasion strategy.

Abstract: An apparatus for adaptive user profiling on mobile computing devices and a method of operating such devices for interacting with a user and for receiving data and instructions from a remote data resource. The method comprising detecting personal attributes of the user by interpreting one or more interactions between the device and the user, and transmitting information identifying the personal attributes of the user to the remote data resource. Determining, at the remote data resource and as a function of the transmitted information identifying personal attributes of the user, at least one of data content or program instructions to be downloaded to the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A human-computer interface for automatic persuasive dialogue between the interface and a user and a method of operating such an interface. The method comprising presenting a user with an avatar or animated image for conveying information to the user and receiving real time data relating to a personal attribute of the user, so as to modify the visual appearance and/or audio output of the avatar or animated image as a function of the received data relating to a personal attribute of the user. In this way, a more engaging, context sensitive and generally more persuasive automatic dialogue can be generated between the interface and the user.

Abstract: A process for shaping a fish product comprises the steps of: a) placing a portion of frozen fish at a temperature of less than or equal to -5.degree. C., which portion comprises myotomes (2,4), in a device for shaping; and b) applying pressure to the shaping device to shape the fish; wherein the process causes substantially no intra-myotome deformation of the fish.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microwaveable food product composite containing a coating food product and a mode filtering structure wherein the food product has a crumb coating having an average crumb size of greater than 1.5 mm and an air gap of from 1 to 6 mm between the food product and the mode filtering structure such that the electric field strength generated within the mode filtering structure, when used in a commercially available microwave oven, is greater than 20 kV/m, but below the breakdown voltage of air. Such composite products are useful in enhancing the heating of the surface layer of the coated food product by a microwave energy.