Smartphone Based Fall Prevention Exercises

Falls are one of the greatest problems facing ageing and older persons. Due to age-related changes and frailty, individuals may unintentionally lose balance or stability while performing activities of daily living, even without any external cause. Exercise programs focusing on muscle strengthening and balance retraining can be effective as part of a fall prevention approach in both community and residential aged care settings. This thesis is focused on the adaptation of effective fall prevention exercises/programs into a smartphone. The smartphone must guide the older persons throughout the exercises as well as advice about the desired frequency/duration of exercises and, when possible, evaluate the movement being performed (i.e. by using e.g. the accelerometer and gyroscope). So that older persons can make the exercises safely and easily on their own, as well as receive feedback about their movements' performance

Design of a Bicycle-Based Real-Time Information Feedback System

[[abstract]]In recent years, cycling has rapidly emerged as a city sport. Although bicycles have various functions, they fail to provide cyclists with sufficient cycling-related information and post cycling analysis. Extant bicycle devices can provide cyclists with partial cycling-related information but cannot provide fully integrated information. In addition, these devices cannot perform post cycling analysis or cycling information sharing. Therefore, this paper proposes a bicycle-based real-time information feedback system, which is used to integrate and provide various types of real-time information for cyclists and help them achieve their desired cycling results. After cycling, the cyclists could view cycling-related information through software analysis. The information included cycling routes taken, total cycling distance, and total calories burned. The proposed system also saved information related to cycling routes such as acceleration, deceleration, directional changes, and slope changes. By analyzing the recorded information, cyclists not only gained further insight into their cycling results but also were able to share cycling-related information through the Internet, which would benefit cyclists who has not cycled along this road before. Finally, we hope the proposed system could provide cyclists with real-time, accurate, and complete information, and enabling them to enjoy a perfect cycling environment.[[notice]]補正完

Internet of Things for fall prediction and prevention

Internet of Things (IoT) is making a breakthrough for the development of innovative healthcare systems. IoT-based health applications are expected to change the paradigm traditionally followed by physicians for diagnosis, by moving health monitoring from the clinical environment to the domestic space. Fall avoidance is a field where the continuous monitoring allowed by the IoT-based framework offers tremendous benefits to the user. In fact, falls are highly damaging due to both physical and psychological injuries. Currently, the most promising approaches to reduce fall injuries are fall prediction, which strives to predict a fall before its occurrence, and fall prevention, which assesses balance and muscle strength through some clinical functional tests. In this context, the IoT-based framework provides real-time emergency notification as soon as fall is predicted, mid-term analysis on the monitored activities, and data logging for long-term analysis by clinical experts. This approach gives more information to experts for estimating the risk of a future fall and for suggesting proper exercises

Detection and prediction of falls among elderly people using walkers

Falls of elderly people are big health burden, especially for long-term consequence. Yet we already have research, describing how exactly elderly fall and reasons of falls. We aimed to develop means that could not only detect falls and send alerts to relatives and doctors to conquer one of the biggest fears of elderly to fall and do not have the ability to call for help, but also tried to implement fall prevention system. This system based on “relatively safe walking patterns” that our system tries to detect during the walk. During the work we used SensorTag 2.0 CC2650 sensors, iPhone and Apple Watch to collect motion data (Gyroscope, Accelerometer and Magnetometer) and compared the accuracy of each device. As we chosen iPhone and Apple Watch to use Core ML framework to integrate the neural network model we generated using Keras into prototype app. The iPhone app perfectly detects falls, but it needs to collect data more accurately, to improve the machine learning model to improve the work of prediction falls. The Apple Watch app does not work acceptable, despite well prepared Keras model and requires revision

Identificación de herramientas de tic para apoyar la inclusión de personas mayores de edad

El propósito de este documento es presentar una síntesis de aquellas herramientas de TIC que han sido desarrolladas con el fin de apoyar la inclusión de las personas mayores, además que han sido publicadas en la literatura científica en el periodo 2005 -2015, se pretende identificar los tipos de tecnologías que se desarrollan para este grupo de personas, para luego así poder clasificar los resultados obtenidos a partir de la revisión de literatura científica realizada, su objetivo es construir un marco conceptual referente a los Adultos Mayores y las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación, la cual se debe explicar la concepción y la clasificación de cada término, establecer una planificación como ayuda para la revisión sistemática de la literatura, la cual estuvo comprendida por preguntas de investigación y criterios que se consideraron para poder realizar la respectiva selección y clasificación de los documentos se partió de una ecuación de búsqueda realizada para depurar la información, se realizó la búsqueda de los documentos en la base de datos SCOPUS, se escogen los documentos que van a ser sometidos al análisis, esto mediante una evaluación de calidad de los mismos, se analizaron los documentos que han sido seleccionados y se presentó la síntesis de los resultados, por medio de la ejecución de los objetivos descritos anteriormente, se ha logrado identificar dos tipos de desarrollos, los pertenecientes al grupo de aplicaciones y al de electrónica; también, se encontró desarrollos en los que se relacionaban estos dos tipos, además cada uno presenta o tiene un propósito diferente, entre los cuales se han destacado nueve, de los cuales el monitoreo o control de las personas mayores ha sido el propósito o el fin al que más se ha trabajado, con 57 herramientas dirigidas a esta finalidad y que equivale a un 39,8601% de los documentos estudiados

Directing and orienting ICT healthcare solutions to address the needs of the aging population

Background: With an aging population, it is essential to maintain good health and autonomy for as long as possible. Instead of hospitalisation or institutionalisation, older people with chronic conditions can be assisted in their own home with numerous “smart” devices that support them in their activities of daily living, manage their medical conditions, and prevent fall incidents. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions facilitate the monitoring and management of older people’s health to improve quality of life and physical activity with a decline in caregivers’ burden. Method: The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic literature review to analyse the state of the art of ICT solutions for older people with chronic conditions, and the impact of these solutions on their quality of life from a biomedical perspective. Results: By analysing the literature on the available ICT proposals, it is shown that different approaches have been deployed by noticing that the more cross-interventions are merged then the better the results are, but there is still no evidence of the effects of ICT solutions on older people’s health outcomes. Furthermore, there are still unresolved ethical and legal issues. Conclusion: While there has been much research and development in healthcare ICT solutions for the aging population, ICT solutions still need significant development in order to be user-oriented, affordable, and to manage chronic conditions in the aging wider population

Évolution fonctionnelle et clinique d'individus ayant une amputation du membre inférieur

L’utilisation d’une nouvelle prothèse à la suite d’une amputation d’un membre inférieur (MI) demande une ré acquisition de la capacité de marcher, ce qui peut mener à différentes stratégies de mouvement. Malgré les connaissances actuelles des stratégies de mouvement employées chez la population des individus ayant une amputation du MI (IA), aucune étude n’a évalué leur évolution lors d’un exercice de marche prolongée et à la suite d’un retour en milieu écologique. Pourtant, une diminution des performances à la marche pourrait être observée suivant l’apparition de la fatigue et/ou suivant une diminution du temps alloué aux activités physiques quotidiennes. C’est pourquoi l’objectif de cette étude est de quantifier les paramètres de marche des IA 1) lors d’un test de marche de six minutes (TM6) à la fin de leur réadaptation et 2) lors d’un TM6 six semaines suivant la fin de leur réadaptation. Nous posons l’hypothèse que l’ajout de centrales inertielles lors de l’évaluation de la marche des IA en milieu clinique permettra de caractériser les stratégies adoptées. Nous nous attendons à une dégradation de ces paramètres sur une période de six minutes de marche en continu ainsi que sur une période de six semaines suivant la fin des traitements de réadaptation. Pour ce faire, des centrales inertielles ont été utilisées, puisqu’elles permettent de quantifier les paramètres spatio-temporels et cinématiques de la marche dans différents environnements et populations, permettant l’acquisition de données « sur le terrain ». Au total, 17 IA on fait le TM6 à T1 et T2 avec des centrales inertielles posées sur chacun de leur pied pour enregistrer leurs paramètres de marche (c.-à-d. dégagement minimal des orteils (minTC), phase de chargement (LDr), phase de pied plat (FFr), largeur de pas en phase oscillante, longueur de foulée, vitesse et cadence). Une analyse ANOVA non paramétrique a comparé 1) l’évolution des paramètres de marche sur une période de six minutes et 2) l’évolution des paramètres de marche entre T1 et T2. Un test de Wilcoxon des rangs signés a été exécuté lorsqu’une interaction était détectée dans l’ANOVA (P < 0.05). Contrairement à l’hypothèse posée en début de projet, une amélioration des performances au membre prothétique (AL) entre T1 et T2 a été observée (largeur de pas en phase d’oscillation, vitesse et cadence augmentées, et la phase d’appui diminuée). Cependant, le minTC n’a pas évolué proportionnellement à la vitesse de marche. Finalement, les capacités physiques et à la marche se sont améliorées entre T1 et T2 dans la population des IA malgré une incapacité d’adapter leur minTC (c.-à-d.., d’augmenter le minTC proportionnellement à la vitesse de marche) à l’augmentation de leur vitesse de marche. Ce phénomène pourrait être expliqué par un patron de marche déficient utilisant la stratégie de « hip hiking » caractérisé par un large minTC et petite largeur de pas à T1 qui s’est amélioré à T2. Toutefois, un petit minTC est aussi relié à un plus grand risque de chute. Ainsi, l’évaluation des paramètres de marche des IA en milieu clinique de même qu’un programme de réadaptation à distance ciblant l’amélioration des paramètres de marche en lien avec la réduction du risque de chute est primordial pour assurer un retour sécuritaire en communauté.The use of a new prosthetic limb following a lower limb amputation demands a reacquisition of the ability to walk, leading to different gait strategies. Although those strategies have been identified in the lower limb amputee (LLA) population, no studies have assessed their evolution following a return in the ecological environment. Indeed, decreased gait performances could be observed following the onset of fatigue and/or a decline of the daily active time. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify the gait parameters of the LLA 1. Along a six-minute walk test (6MWT) following their rehabilitation and 2. Along a 6MWT six weeks following the end of the rehabilitation. It is hypothesized that the use of inertial sensors during the assessment of the IA’s gait parameters will allow the characterisation of their adopted gait strategies. We are expecting a deterioration of the gait parameters along a six-minute continuous walk and six weeks following the end of the rehabilitation treatments. To do so, inertial measurement units (IMU) have been used, as they are effective to quantify gait in different environments and populations, allowing data acquisition in “real-life”. Seventeen LLA performed a six-minute walk test (6MWT) at T1 and T2 with inertial sensors fixed on both feet to register their gait parameters (i.e. minimum toe clearance (minTC), loading ratio (LDr), flat foot ratio (FFr), swing width, step length, speed and cadence). A non-parametric ANOVA compared 1) the evolution of the gait parameters over a 6MWT and 2) the evolution of the gait parameters over T1 and T2. Post-hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed if a main effect was detected (P < 0.05). A performance improvement on the amputated limb (AL) between T1 and T2 has been observed (swing width, speed and cadence increased, added to a decreased stance phase). However, the minTC did not evolve proportionally to the speed. Physical capacity and walking abilities have increased between T1 and T2 in LLA population despite the inability to adapt their minTC (i.e. to increase the minTC proportionally to the gait speed) to an increased speed. It could be explained by a poor walking pattern using a hip hiking strategy including a high minTC and a small step width at T1 that improved (lower minTC than at T1) at T2. However, a small minTC is related to higher risks of fall. Therefore, the evaluation of the LLA’s gait parameters in clinical settings added to a home rehabilitation programme focused on the reduction of the risks of fall is primordial to ensure a secure return in the community

Breakthroughs and emerging insights from ongoing design science projects: Research-in-progress papers and poster presentations from the 11th international conference on design science research in information systems and technology (DESRIST) 2016. St. John, Newfoundland, Canada, May 23-25

This volume contains selected research-in-progress papers and poster presentations from DESRIST 2016 - the 11th International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology held during 24-25 May 2016 at St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. DESRIST provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to present and discuss Design Science research. The 11th DESRIST built on the foundation of ten prior highly successful international conferences held in Claremont, Pasadena, Atlanta, Philadelphia, St. Gallen, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Helsinki, Miami, and Dublin. This year's conference places a special emphasis on using Design Science to engage with the growing challenges that face society, including (but not limited to) demands on health care systems, climate change, and security. With these challenges in mind, individuals from academia and industry came together to discuss important ongoing work and to share emerging knowledge and ideas. Design Science projects often involve multiple sub-problems, meaning there may be a delay before the final set of findings can be laid out. Hence, this volume "Breakthroughs and Observations from Ongoing Design Science Projects" presents preliminary findings from studies that are still underway. Completed research from DESRIST 2016 is presented in a separate volume entitled "Tackling Society's Grand Challenges with Design Science", which is published by Springer International Publishing, Switzerland. The final set of accepted papers in this volume reflects those presented at DESRIST 2016, including 11 research-in-progress papers and 4 abstracts for poster presentations. Each research-in-progress paper and each poster abstract was reviewed by a minimum of two referees. We would like to thank the authors who submitted their research-in-progress papers and poster presentations to DESRIST 2016, the referees who took the time to construct detailed and constructive reviews, and the Program Committee who made the event possible. Furthermore we thank the sponsoring organisations, in particular Maynooth University, Claremont Graduate University, and Memorial University of Newfoundland, for their financial support. We believe the research described in this volume addresses some of the most topical and interesting design challenges facing the field of information systems. We hope that readers find the insights provided by authors as valuable and thought-provoking as we have, and that the discussion of such early findings can help to maximise their impact

Technology-assisted healthcare: exploring the use of mobile 3D visualisation technology to augment home-based fall prevention assessments

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonFalls often cause devastating injuries which precipitate hospital and long-term care admission and result in an increased burden on health care services. Fall prevention interventions are used to overcome fall risk factors in an ageing population. There is an increasing need for technology-assisted interventions to reduce health care costs, whilst also lessening the burden that an ageing population increasingly has on health care services. Research efforts have been spent on reducing intrinsic fall risk factors (i.e. functional ability deficits and balance impairments) in the older adult population through the use of technology-assisted interventions, but relatively little effort has been expended on extrinsic risk factors (i.e. unsuitable environmental conditions and lack of assistive equipment use), considering the drive for healthcare outside of the clinical setting into the patients’ home. In the field of occupational therapy, the extrinsic fall-risk assessment process (EFAP) is a prominent preventive intervention used to promote independent living and alleviate fall risk factors via the provision of assistive equipment prescribed for use by patients in their home environment. Currently, paper-based forms with measurement guidance presented in the form of 2D diagrams are used in the EFAP. These indicate the precise points and dimensions on a furniture item that must be measured as part of an assessment for equipment. However, this process involves challenges, such as inappropriate equipment prescribed due to inaccurate measurements being taken and recorded from the misinterpretation of the measurement guidance. This is largely due to the poor visual representation of guidance that is provided by existing paper-based forms, resulting in high levels of equipment abandonment by patients. Consequently, there is a need to overcome the challenges mentioned above by augmenting the limitations of the paper-based approach to visualise measurement guidance for equipment. To this end, this thesis proposes the use of 3D visualisation technology in the form of a novel mobile 3D application (Guidetomeasure) to visualise guidance in a well-perceived manner and support stakeholders with equipment prescriptions. To ensure that the artefact is a viable improvement over its 2D predecessor, it was designed, developed and empirically evaluated with patients and clinicians alike through conducting five user-centred design and experimental studies. A mixed-method analysis was undertaken to establish the design, effectiveness, efficiency and usability of the proposed artefact, compared with conventional approaches used for data collection and equipment prescription. The research findings show that both patients and clinicians suggest that 3D visualisation is a promising development of an alternative tool that contains functionality to overcome existing issues faced in the EFAP. Overall, this research makes a conceptual contribution (secondary) to the research domain and a software artefact (primary) that significantly improves practice, resulting in implications and recommendations for the wider healthcare provision (primary).The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)