NeckCare: Preventing Tech Neck using Hearable-based Multimodal Sensing

Abstract: Tech neck is a modern epidemic caused by prolonged device usage and it can lead to significant neck strain and discomfort. This paper addresses the challenge of detecting and preventing tech neck syndrome using non-invasive ubiquitous sensing techniques. We present NeckCare, a novel system leveraging hearable sensors, including IMUs and microphones, to monitor tech neck postures and estimate distance form screen in real-time. By analyzing pitch, displacement, and acoustic ranging data from 15 participants, we achieve posture classification accuracy of 96% using IMU data alone and 99% when combined with audio data. Our distance estimation technique is millimeter-level accurate even in noisy conditions. NeckCare provides immediate feedback to users, promoting healthier posture and reducing neck strain. Future work will explore personalizing alerts, predicting muscle strain, integrating neck exercise detection and enhancing digital eye strain prediction.