scholarly journals Development of an Inexpensive Harnessing System Allowing Independent Gardening for Balance Training for Mobility Impaired Individuals

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
pp. 5610
Author(s):  
McPherson Newell ◽  
Ann Reinthal ◽  
Debbie Espy ◽  
Beth Ekelman
Keyword(s):  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Senior Center ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Independent Mobility ◽  
Activity Monitors ◽  
Safe Environment ◽  
Mobility Impaired ◽  
Base Of Support

Balance is key to independent mobility, and poor balance leads to a risk of falling and subsequent injury that can cause self-restriction of activity for older adults. Balance and mobility can be improved through training programs, but many programs are not intensive or engaging enough to sufficiently improve balance while maintaining adherence. As an alternative to traditional balance training, harnessed gardening sessions were conducted in an urban greenhouse as an example of a community activity through which balance and mobility can be trained and/or maintained. An inexpensive multidirectional harness system was developed that can be used as an assistive or rehabilitative device in community, private, and senior center gardens to allow balance or mobility-impaired adults to participate in programming. Two wearable sensor systems were used to measure responses to the system: the Polhemus G4 system measured gardeners’ positions and center of mass relative to the base of support, and ActiGraph activity monitors measured the frequency and intensity of arm movements in garden as compared to home environments. The harnessed gardening system provides a safe environment for intense movement activity and can be used as a rehabilitation device along with wearable sensor systems to monitor ongoing changes.

scholarly journals Foot Problems in Older Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Muchna ◽  
Bijan Najafi ◽  
Christopher S. Wendel ◽  
Michael Schwenk ◽  
David G. Armstrong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Peripheral Neuropathy ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Fear Of Falling ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Foot Problems

Background:Research on foot problems and frailty is sparse and could advance using wearable sensor–based measures of gait, balance, and physical activity (PA). This study examined the effect of foot problems on the likelihood of falls, frailty syndrome, motor performance, and PA in community-dwelling older adults.Methods:Arizona Frailty Cohort Study participants (community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years without baseline cognitive deficit, severe movement disorders, or recent stroke) underwent Fried frailty and foot assessment. Gait, balance (bipedal eyes open and eyes closed), and spontaneous PA over 48 hours were measured using validated wearable sensor technologies.Results:Of 117 participants, 41 (35%) were nonfrail, 56 (48%) prefrail, and 20 (17%) frail. Prevalence of foot problems (pain, peripheral neuropathy, or deformity) increased significantly as frailty category worsened (any problem: 63% in nonfrail, 80% in prefrail [odds ratio (OR) = 2.0], and 95% in frail [OR = 8.3]; P = .03 for trend) due to associations between foot problems and both weakness and exhaustion. Foot problems were associated with fear of falling but not with fall history or incident falls over 6 months. Foot pain and peripheral neuropathy were associated with lower gait speed and stride length; increased double support time; increased mediolateral sway of center of mass during walking, age adjusted; decreased eyes open sway of center of mass and ankle during quiet standing, age adjusted; and lower percentage walking, percentage standing, and total steps per day.Conclusions:Foot problems were associated with frailty level and decreased motor performance and PA. Wearable technology is a practical way to screen for deterioration in gait, balance, and PA that may be associated with foot problems. Routine assessment and management of foot problems could promote earlier intervention to retain motor performance and manage fear of falling in older adults, which may ultimately improve healthy aging and reduce risk of frailty.

Laboratory Validation of Two Wearable Sensor Systems for Measuring Head Impact Severity in Football Players

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 1257-1274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunter P. Siegmund ◽  
Kevin M. Guskiewicz ◽  
Stephen W. Marshall ◽  
Alyssa L. DeMarco ◽  
Stephanie J. Bonin
Keyword(s):  
Head Impact ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Measuring Head

Design Methodology for Context-Aware Wearable Sensor Systems

2005 ◽  
pp. 220-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urs Anliker ◽  
Holger Junker ◽  
Paul Lukowicz ◽  
Gerhard Tröster
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Context Aware ◽  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Wearable Sensor

scholarly journals A Review of Wearable Sensor Systems to Monitor Plantar Loading in the Assessment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lefan Wang ◽  
Dominic Jones ◽  
Graham J. Chapman ◽  
Heidi J. Siddle ◽  
David A. Russell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Foot ◽  
Foot Ulcers ◽  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Diabetic Foot Ulcers ◽  
Wearable Sensor

scholarly journals A Method of Data Aggregation for Wearable Sensor Systems

Sensors ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Shen ◽  
Jun-Song Fu
Keyword(s):  
Data Aggregation ◽  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Wearable Sensor

Wearable sensor systems: The challenges

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. McAdams ◽  
A. Krupaviciute ◽  
C. Gehin ◽  
E. Grenier ◽  
B. Massot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Wearable Sensor

scholarly journals What Does Big Data Mean for Wearable Sensor Systems?

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (01) ◽  
pp. 135-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. H. Lovell ◽  
G. Z. Yang ◽  
A. Horsch ◽  
P. Lukowicz ◽  
L. Murrugarra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Sensor Systems ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Inference Problems ◽  
Care Working Group

Summary Objectives:The aim of this paper is to discuss how recent developments in the field of big data may potentially impact the future use of wearable sensor systems in healthcare. Methods: The article draws on the scientific literature to support the opinions presented by the IMIA Wearable Sensors in Health-care Working Group. Results: The following is discussed: the potential for wearable sensors to generate big data; how complementary technologies, such as a smartphone, will augment the concept of a wearable sensor and alter the nature of the monitoring data created; how standards would enable sharing of data and advance scientific progress. Importantly, attention is drawn to statistical inference problems for which big datasets provide little assistance, or may hinder the identification of a useful solution. Finally, a discussion is presented on risks to privacy and possible negative consequences arising from intensive wearable sensor monitoring. Conclusions: Wearable sensors systems have the potential to generate datasets which are currently beyond our capabilities to easily organize and interpret. In order to successfully utilize wearable sensor data to infer wellbeing, and enable proactive health management, standards and ontologies must be developed which allow for data to be shared between research groups and between commercial systems, promoting the integration of these data into health information systems. However, policy and regulation will be required to ensure that the detailed nature of wearable sensor data is not misused to invade privacies or prejudice against individuals.

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