CareBox: A Smart Modular Meal Container Integrating Human Factors and Real-Time Feedback for Preventive Health and Balanced Diets

Abstract

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)—including hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders—account for more than 70% of global deaths. While some cases are hereditary, most are driven by modifiable lifestyle factors, especially unhealthy diet. Many people are diagnosed only after the optimal window for prevention has passed. Embracing the principle that prevention is better than cure, this work targets diet as a direct, scalable, and sustainable intervention to improve long-term health.We present CareBox, a smart modular meal container that promotes the widely recommended 2:1:1 plate ratio (vegetables: protein: whole grains) through real-time feedback and human-factors-informed design. Following a user-centered process, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 adults actively engaged in chronic-disease prevention. Key pain points emerged: the cognitive burden of calculating portion ratios and the lack of immediate, actionable feedback in existing tools. Findings were synthesized using the KJ method (affinity diagramming) and translated into functional and ergonomic requirements via Quality Function Deployment (QFD).Guided by these specifications, we developed a refined prototype with three detachable compartments, each embedded with a pressure/load sensor connected to an ESP32 microcontroller. The system provides real-time, color-coded LED feedback that simulates the intended product behavior: green for 75–100% target completion, yellow for 25–75%, and red for <25%, with automatic tare to deduct container weight. The form adopts a rounded, heart-shaped geometry for emotional engagement and features a leak-proof, portable structure designed for ease of use among middle-aged and older adults.A preliminary usability evaluation indicated that the screen-free LED feedback was intuitive, reduced the cognitive load of dietary monitoring, and increased users’ awareness of food proportions. CareBox illustrates how human factors engineering, IoT-based sensing, and behavior-change principles can be integrated into everyday health products. Future work will include longitudinal field studies with at-risk populations, integration of AI-based food recognition, and broader applications in preventive healthcare.

Keywords: Preventive Health, Dietary Balance, Human Factors in Product Design, IoT-Based Health Device

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006976