An IoT-Aware Architecture for Collecting and Managing Data Related to Elderly Behavior

The world population will be made up of a growing number of elderly people in the near future. Aged people are characterized by some physical and cognitive diseases, like mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and frailty, that, if not timely diagnosed, could turn into more severe diseases, like Alzheimer disease, thus implying high costs for treatments and cares. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) enabling the Internet of Things (IoT) can be adopted to create frameworks for monitoring elderly behavior which, alongside normal clinical procedures, can help geriatricians to early detect behavioral changes related to such pathologies and to provide customized interventions. As part of the City4Age project, this work describes a novel approach for collecting and managing data about elderly behavior during their normal activities. The data capturing layer is an unobtrusive and low-cost sensing infrastructure abstracting the heterogeneity of physical devices, while the data management layer easily manages the huge quantity of sensed data, giving them semantic meaning and fostering data shareability. This work provides a functional validation of the proposed architecture and introduces how the data it manages can be used by the whole City4Age platform to early identify risks related to MCI/frailty and promptly intervene

Cenários comunicacionais baseados em IOT para a promoção do bem-estar físico, psicológico e social dos séniores

The main objective of this research is to design and validate IoT based social hybrid scenario model that has the potential to promote psychological and physical wellbeing among older adults. The main reason to design and validate the model is age growth, older adults face psychological, physical and social well-being problems that increase mild cognitive impairment and frailty among older adults. Thus, to overcome older adults' problems, the study proposes and validates an IoT-based social hybrid scenario model. The model's features contain passive communication in which Drs, caregivers, and family members can monitor older adults' physical data from long distances. The model's features also contained intentional communication in which Older adults can interact online by text, audio, video calls, sharing images, and online activities such as painting, exercises and cooking. Moreover, older adults can do outdoor activities by inviting peers, friends or family members; the activities can be location-based IoT games, city tours, groups gardening and dinners. The outcomes of model validation will indicate how IoT characteristics can promote physical, psychological and social well-being and provide an opportunity for older adults to spend their life independently. The research that embodies this thesis includes 411 senior Portuguese Universities which are located mainland and on the island of Portugal. Using descriptive research methodology, where quantitative results are analysed, the results indicated a holistic scenario of passive and intentional communication in the context of well-being promotion among olderadults. from here, the social hybrid scenario is outlined, a hybrid model that offers passive and intentional communication between olderadults, family and medical doctors in the context of well-being promotion. The design and characteristics of the model are based on the existing knowledg, and needs of older adults, family members and also medical doctors. Such as model is a compound of passive and intentional characteristics that helps to reduce problem-related mental and physical health. The Passive and intentional communication characteristics are capable to create an environment for older adultsto take care of their psychological and physical health without any intervention and also increase their social physical and online activities, these activities help to promote the well-being of olderadults andd improve the daily lifestyle.O principal objetivo desta pesquisa é projetar e validar um modelo de cenário híbrido social baseado em IoT que tenha o potencial de promover o bem-estar psicológico e físico entre os idosos. A principal razão para projetar e validar o modelo é o crescimento da idade, os idosos enfrentam problemas psicológicos, físicos e de bem-estar social que aumentam o comprometimento cognitivo leve e a fragilidade entre os idosos. Assim, para superar os problemas dos idosos, o estudo propõe e valida um modelo de cenário híbrido social baseado em IoT. Os recursos do modelo contêm comunicação passiva na qual médicos, cuidadores e familiares podem monitorar os dados físicos dos idosos a longas distâncias. As características do modelo também contemplam comunicação intencional em que os idosos podem interagir online por meio de texto, áudio, videochamadas, compartilhamento de imagens e atividades online como pintura, exercícios e culinária. Além disso, os idosos podem fazer atividades ao ar livre convidando colegas, amigos ou familiares; as atividades podem ser jogos de IoT baseados em localização, passeios pela cidade, jardinagem em grupo e jantares. Os resultados da validação do modelo indicam como as características da IoT podem promover o bem-estar físico, psicológico e social e fornecer uma oportunidade para os idosos passarem sua vida de forma independente. A investigação que dá corpo a esta tese inclui 411 universidades portuguesas seniores localizadas no continente e na ilha de Portugal. Utilizando metodologia de pesquisa descritiva, onde são analisados resultados quantitativos, os resultados indicaram um cenário holístico de comunicação passiva e intencional no contexto da promoção do bem-estar entre idosos. a partir daqui, delineia-se o cenário social híbrido, um modelo híbrido que oferece comunicação passiva e intencional entre idosos, médicos de família e médicos no contexto da promoção do bem-estar. O desenho e as características do modelo baseiam-se no conhecimento existente e nas necessidades dos idosos, familiares e também médicos. Tal modelo é um composto de características passivas e intencionais que ajuda a reduzir os problemas relacionados com a saúde mental e física. As características de comunicação passiva e intencional são capazes de criar um ambiente para que os idosos cuidem de sua saúde psicológica e física e também aumentem suas atividades sociais físicas e online, essas atividades ajudam a promover o bem-estar dos idosos e melhorar o estilo de vida diário.Programa Doutoral em Informação e Comunicação em Plataformas Digitai

SHELDON Smart habitat for the elderly.

An insightful document concerning active and assisted living under different perspectives: Furniture and habitat, ICT solutions and Healthcare

A Smart Remote Elderly Monitoring System based on IoT Technologies

The aging population phenomenon is more and more increasing. In this context, the elderly’s behavioral analysis through the Internet of Things technologies can help to prevent Mild Cognitive Impairment and frailty problems. In particular, since movements and body motility are good indicators of behavioral changes, this work aims to define a reliable system for controlling the position and the body motility of the elderly in unobtrusive, low-cost and low-power way. The system represents the basis of a complete architecture for behavioral analysis and risk detection developed within the City4Age project, funded by the Horizon 2020 Programme of the European Commission