Exploring Consumer Perceptions of Digital Twin Technologies: A Qualitative Investigation of the "Healthy" Mobile Health Application.
Authors
Cruze, Turza D ; Chakraborty, Avishek
Term
4. term
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-29
Pages
67
Abstract
This thesis examines how consumers perceive the value of a digital twin–based lifestyle application and its ability to sustain engagement by visualizing future health. The study addresses persistent dropouts in mHealth, often driven by present bias and the burden of manual data entry. Using Healthy as a concrete case—a realistic prototype that connects to wearables and translates lifestyle data into a 3D avatar showing potential consequences—the project explores adoption drivers and barriers. An abductive qualitative design was employed, comprising 19 semi-structured interviews with early-access users and a thematic analysis guided by an extended Technology Acceptance Model (covering perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, playfulness, result demonstrability, and computer anxiety). Participants generally felt that digital twin visualizations turn abstract metrics into emotionally resonant “embodied consequences,” with a six-month predictive window seen as the most motivating. However, a reinforcement calibration tension emerged: while positive visuals foster enjoyment, a deteriorating avatar can provoke anxiety and prompt vulnerable users to abandon the app. Absolute data sovereignty (e.g., GDPR compliance, local encryption) and deep personalization were viewed as non-negotiable prerequisites for adoption. The study concludes that digital twins can help bridge the intention–behavior gap, but sustained uptake depends on adaptive psychological feedback, eliminating manual data entry, and uncompromising privacy infrastructure.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan forbrugere opfatter værdien af en livsstilsapp baseret på menneskelige digitale tvillinger (HDT) og dens evne til at fastholde engagement ved at visualisere fremtidig sundhed. Baggrunden er de udbredte frafald i mHealth-apps, som ofte skyldes nutidsbias og træthed ved manuel dataindtastning. Som konkret case anvendes Healthy, en realistisk prototype, der forbinder til wearables og omsætter livsstilsdata til en 3D-avatar, som viser mulige konsekvenser af brugerens vaner. Studiet bygger på et kvalitativt, abduktivt design med 19 semistrukturerede interviews med tidlige brugere og en tematisk analyse informeret af en udvidet Technology Acceptance Model (nytteværdi, brugervenlighed, fornøjelse, leg, resultatsynlighed og computerangst). Deltagerne oplevede generelt, at HDT-visualiseringer oversætter abstrakte tal til følelsesmæssigt nærværende “legemliggjorte” konsekvenser; en seks måneders prognosehorisont blev set som mest motiverende. Samtidig fremkom en spænding i kalibreringen af feedback: positive visuelle signaler kan øge fornøjelse, mens en forværret avatar kan udløse angst og føre sårbare brugere til at forlade appen. Ufravigelige krav til databeskyttelse (fx GDPR-overholdelse, lokal kryptering) og dyb personalisering fremstod som strukturelle forudsætninger for adoption. Konklusionen er, at digitale tvillinger kan bygge bro over kløften mellem intention og adfærd, men kræver adaptiv psykologisk feedback, minimal manuel indtastning og kompromisløs datasikkerhed for at muliggøre varig udbredelse.
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Keywords