Texas: Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) have secured a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to address low physical activity among cancer survivors.
While regular exercise can reduce mortality and improve quality of life, up to 84% of survivors don’t get enough. The UTA team aims to change that through a personalized AI-powered system that sends real-time motivational messages based on data from smartphones and wearable devices.
Led by public health expert Dr. Yue Liao, the project combines AI, communication science, and health informatics to create dynamic messages that match survivors’ daily routines. Collaborators include Grace Brannon, Dr. Chengkai Li from UTA’s Department of Computer Science, and Dr. Maria Chang from MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The two-year pilot will develop and test the system with 15 participants. Researchers say AI makes large-scale personalization possible, offering a cost-effective, scalable way to deliver meaningful behavioral interventions that humans alone cannot.
The team hopes their work will reshape how healthcare professionals engage cancer survivors in healthy behaviors.
