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Orzechowski M, Skuban-Eiseler T, Ajlani A, Lindemann U, Klenk J, Steger F. User Perspectives of Geriatric German Patients on Smart Sensor Technology in Healthcare. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:9124. [PMID: 38005512 PMCID: PMC10675452 DOI: 10.3390/s23229124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
With consideration of the progressing aging of our societies, the introduction of smart sensor technology can contribute to the improvement of healthcare for older patients and to reductions of the costs of care. From the clinical and medico-ethical points of view, the advantages of smart sensor technology are copious. However, any ethical evaluation of an introduction of a new technology in medical practice requires an inclusion of patients' perspectives and their assessments. We have conducted qualitative, semi-structured, exploratory interviews with 11 older patients in order to gain their subjective opinions on the use of smart sensor devices for rehabilitation purposes. The interviews were analyzed using methods of qualitative content and thematic analyses. In our analysis, we have focused on ethical aspects of adoption of this technology in clinical practice. Most of the interviewees expressed their trust in this technology, foremost because of its accuracy. Several respondents stated apprehension that the use of smart sensors will lead to a change in the patient-healthcare professional relationship. Regarding costs of introduction of smart sensors into healthcare, interviewees were divided between health insurance bearing the costs and individual participation in corresponding costs. Most interviewees had no concerns about the protection of their privacy or personal information. Considering these results, improvement of users' technology literacy regarding possible threats connected with putting smart sensors into clinical practice is a precondition to any individual application of smart sensors. This should occur in the form of extended and well-designed patient information adapted to individual levels of understanding. Moreover, application of smart sensors needs to be accompanied with careful anamnesis of patient's needs, life goals, capabilities, and concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Orzechowski
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (T.S.-E.); (A.A.); (F.S.)
| | - Tobias Skuban-Eiseler
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (T.S.-E.); (A.A.); (F.S.)
| | - Anna Ajlani
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (T.S.-E.); (A.A.); (F.S.)
- Department of Sociology with a Focus on Innovation and Digitalization, Institute of Sociology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Ulrich Lindemann
- Department of Geriatrics, Robert Bosch Hospital, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany; (U.L.); (J.K.)
| | - Jochen Klenk
- Department of Geriatrics, Robert Bosch Hospital, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany; (U.L.); (J.K.)
- Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences and Healthcare Education, IB University of Health and Social Sciences, Study Center Stuttgart, 70178 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Florian Steger
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (T.S.-E.); (A.A.); (F.S.)
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Ali L, Kilic H, Öztüren A. From disabled tourists to impaired cyborg tourists: What would it take to transform? UNIVERSAL ACCESS IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY 2023:1-18. [PMID: 36789138 PMCID: PMC9910771 DOI: 10.1007/s10209-023-00970-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite the media reports and governments promoting tourism as a fundamental right for everyone, traveling is still not accessible for disabled people. This study has highlighted the need to make tourists with disabilities accessable for inaccessible destinations. Cyborg products in the form of technological implants can make tourists with disabilities accessable for inaccessible destinations. Since tourists with a mobility disability (TMD) will be one of the primary beneficiaries of technological implants, little is known about their acceptance of technological implants during traveling.Therefore, this study assesses the willingness of TMD to use technological implants during traveling through a qualitative research approach. The results from thematic analysis identified two main themes: the use of assistive devices during traveling with four sub-themes (freedom of traveling, physical and attitudinal barriers, cost, and additional assistance and battery issues), and drivers of impaired cyborg tourists with seven sub-themes (independence, improved well-being, convenience/ease of use, social inclusion, positive emotions, motivation, and other issues). The study contributed to the literature by introducing drivers of impaired cyborg tourists along with previously identified concepts. The results also provided implications for the stakeholders of the tourism industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laiba Ali
- Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, North Cyprus Turkey
| | - Hasan Kilic
- Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, North Cyprus Turkey
| | - Ali Öztüren
- Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, North Cyprus Turkey
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Predel C, Timmermann C, Ursin F, Orzechowski M, Ropinski T, Steger F. Conflicting Aims and Values in the Application of Smart Sensors in Geriatric Rehabilitation: Ethical Analysis. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2022; 10:e32910. [PMID: 35737429 PMCID: PMC9264133 DOI: 10.2196/32910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Smart sensors have been developed as diagnostic tools for rehabilitation to cover an increasing number of geriatric patients. They promise to enable an objective assessment of complex movement patterns.
Objective
This research aimed to identify and analyze the conflicting ethical values associated with smart sensors in geriatric rehabilitation and provide ethical guidance on the best use of smart sensors to all stakeholders, including technology developers, health professionals, patients, and health authorities.
Methods
On the basis of a systematic literature search of the scientific databases PubMed and ScienceDirect, we conducted a qualitative document analysis to identify evidence-based practical implications of ethical relevance. We included 33 articles in the analysis. The practical implications were extracted inductively. Finally, we carried out an ethical analysis based on the 4 principles of biomedical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. The results are reported in categories based on these 4 principles.
Results
We identified 8 conflicting aims for using smart sensors. Gains in autonomy come at the cost of patient privacy. Smart sensors at home increase the independence of patients but may reduce social interactions. Independent measurements performed by patients may result in lower diagnostic accuracy. Although smart sensors could provide cost-effective and high-quality diagnostics for most patients, minorities could end up with suboptimal treatment owing to their underrepresentation in training data and studies. This could lead to algorithmic biases that would not be recognized by medical professionals when treating patients.
Conclusions
The application of smart sensors has the potential to improve the rehabilitation of geriatric patients in several ways. It is important that patients do not have to choose between autonomy and privacy and are well informed about the insights that can be gained from the data. Smart sensors should support and not replace interactions with medical professionals. Patients and medical professionals should be educated about the correct application and the limitations of smart sensors. Smart sensors should include an adequate representation of minorities in their training data and should be covered by health insurance to guarantee fair access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Predel
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Cristian Timmermann
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Frank Ursin
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marcin Orzechowski
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Timo Ropinski
- Visual Computing Group, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Florian Steger
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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Systematic Odometry Error Evaluation and Correction in a Human-Sized Three-Wheeled Omnidirectional Mobile Robot Using Flower-Shaped Calibration Trajectories. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12052606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Odometry is a simple and practical method that provides a periodic real-time estimation of the relative displacement of a mobile robot based on the measurement of the angular rotational speed of its wheels. The main disadvantage of odometry is its unbounded accumulation of errors, a factor that reduces the accuracy of the estimation of the absolute position and orientation of a mobile robot. This paper proposes a general procedure to evaluate and correct the systematic odometry errors of a human-sized three-wheeled omnidirectional mobile robot designed as a versatile personal assistant tool. The correction procedure is based on the definition of 36 individual calibration trajectories which together depict a flower-shaped figure, on the measurement of the odometry and ground truth trajectory of each calibration trajectory, and on the application of several strategies to iteratively adjust the effective value of the kinematic parameters of the mobile robot in order to match the estimated final position from these two trajectories. The results have shown an average improvement of 82.14% in the estimation of the final position and orientation of the mobile robot. Therefore, these results can be used for odometry calibration during the manufacturing of human-sized three-wheeled omnidirectional mobile robots.
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Timmermann C, Ursin F, Predel C, Steger F. Aligning Patient's Ideas of a Good Life with Medically Indicated Therapies in Geriatric Rehabilitation Using Smart Sensors. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21248479. [PMID: 34960570 PMCID: PMC8709340 DOI: 10.3390/s21248479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
New technologies such as smart sensors improve rehabilitation processes and thereby increase older adults’ capabilities to participate in social life, leading to direct physical and mental health benefits. Wearable smart sensors for home use have the additional advantage of monitoring day-to-day activities and thereby identifying rehabilitation progress and needs. However, identifying and selecting rehabilitation priorities is ethically challenging because physicians, therapists, and caregivers may impose their own personal values leading to paternalism. Therefore, we develop a discussion template consisting of a series of adaptable questions for the patient–physician encounter based on the capability approach. The goal is to improve geriatric rehabilitation and thereby increase participation in social life and well-being. To achieve this goal, we first analyzed what is considered important for participation on basis of the capability approach, human rights, and ethics of care. Second, we conducted an ethical analysis of each of the four identified dimensions of participation: political, economic, socio-cultural, and care. To improve compliance with rehabilitation measures, health professionals must align rehabilitation measures in an open dialogue with the patient’s aspiration for participation in each dimension. A discussion template based on the capability approach allows for a proactive approach in patient information and stimulates a critical assessment of treatment alternatives while reducing the risk of imposing personal values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Timmermann
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, 89073 Ulm, Germany; (C.P.); (F.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Frank Ursin
- Institute for Ethics, History and Philosophy of Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30167 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Christopher Predel
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, 89073 Ulm, Germany; (C.P.); (F.S.)
| | - Florian Steger
- Institute of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Ulm University, 89073 Ulm, Germany; (C.P.); (F.S.)
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Abdi S, de Witte L, Hawley M. Exploring the Potential of Emerging Technologies to Meet the Care and Support Needs of Older People: A Delphi Survey. Geriatrics (Basel) 2021; 6:geriatrics6010019. [PMID: 33668557 PMCID: PMC8006038 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics6010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Some emerging technologies have potential to address older people’s care and support needs. However, there is still a gap in the knowledge on the potential uses of these technologies in some care domains. Therefore, a two-round Delphi survey was conducted to establish a consensus of opinion from a group of health and social technology experts (n = 21) on the potential of 10 emerging technologies to meet older people’s needs in five care and support domains. Experts were also asked to provide reasons for their choices in free-text spaces. The consensus level was set at 70%. Free-text responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Voice activated devices was the technology that reached experts consensus in all assessed care domains. Some technologies (e.g., Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled apps and wearables and Internet of things (IoT) enabled homes) also show potential to support basic self-care and access to healthcare needs of older people. However, most of the remaining technologies (e.g., robotics, exoskeletons, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR)) face a range of technical and acceptability issues that may hinder their adoption by older people in the near future. Findings should encourage the R & D community to address some of the identified challenges to improve the adoption of emerging technologies by older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Morley
- John E. Morley, MB, BCh, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Saint Louis University, SLUCare Academic Pavilion, Section 2500, 1008 S. Spring Ave., 2nd Floor St. Louis, MO 63110, , Twitter: @drjohnmorley
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Abdi S, de Witte L, Hawley M. Emerging Technologies With Potential Care and Support Applications for Older People: Review of Gray Literature. JMIR Aging 2020; 3:e17286. [PMID: 32780020 PMCID: PMC7448188 DOI: 10.2196/17286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The number of older people with unmet care and support needs is increasing substantially due to the challenges facing the formal and informal care systems. Emerging technological developments have the potential to address some of the care and support challenges of older people. However, limited work has been done to identify emerging technological developments with the potential to meet the care and support needs of the aging population. Objective This review aimed to gain an overview of emerging technologies with potential care and support applications for older people, particularly for those living at home. Methods A scoping gray literature review was carried out by using the databases of 13 key organizations, hand searching reference lists of included documents, using funding data, and consulting technology experts. A narrative synthesis approach was used to analyze and summarize the findings of the literature review. Results A total of 39 documents were included in the final analysis. From the analysis, 8 emerging technologies were identified that could potentially be used to meet older people’s needs in various care and support domains. These emerging technologies were (1) assistive autonomous robots; (2) self-driving vehicles; (3) artificial intelligence–enabled health smart apps and wearables; (4) new drug release mechanisms; (5) portable diagnostics; (6) voice-activated devices; (7) virtual, augmented, and mixed reality; and (8) intelligent homes. These emerging technologies were at different levels of development, with some being trialed for care applications, whereas others being in the early phases of development. However, only a few documents mentioned including older people during the process of designing and developing these technologies. Conclusions This review has identified key emerging technologies with the potential to contribute to the support and care needs of older people. However, to increase the adoption of these technologies by older people, there is a need to involve them and other stakeholders, such as formal and informal carers, in the process of designing and developing these technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Abdi
- Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare, School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Luc de Witte
- Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare, School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Hawley
- Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare, School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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A Zynq-Based Robotic System for Treatment of Contagious Diseases in Hospital Isolated Environment. TECHNOLOGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/technologies8020028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The rapid evolution of smart assisted living operations in combination with the blooming of commercial robots calls for the use of robotic based systems. Specifically, certain circumstances such as the handling of critical, contagious virus outbreaks like the recent novel Coronavirus epidemic can be benefited by an assisting mobile robot system controlled remotely, complementing measures like the isolation of patients from medical stuff. Within this context, the robotic-based solution to be employed needs to be easy to deploy, able to manufacture with low cost, and able to operate with ease by non-trained personnel. Also, to address the needs of existing hospitals, traditional or smart ones, as well as the temporary risk management facilities in, for example, quarantined cities, ease of integration in terms of size and infrastructure requirements is a must. In this work, the design and implementation of a robotic chassis bearing an arm manipulator is presented, addressing all these needs efficiently. Special attention has been given to the ease of teleoperation with minimal need for equipment and expertise, utilizing a Leap Motion virtual reality sensor which outweighs Microsoft’s Kinect capabilities. Furthermore, a reconfigurable hardware and software integrated system has been used to control the communication, algorithm processing and motion control utilizing a Xilinx Zynq system on chip (SoC).
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Guo Y, Deligianni F, Gu X, Yang GZ. 3-D Canonical Pose Estimation and Abnormal Gait Recognition With a Single RGB-D Camera. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2019.2928775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Fiorini L, De Mul M, Fabbricotti I, Limosani R, Vitanza A, D'Onofrio G, Tsui M, Sancarlo D, Giuliani F, Greco A, Guiot D, Senges E, Cavallo F. Assistive robots to improve the independent living of older persons: results from a needs study. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol 2019; 16:92-102. [PMID: 31329000 DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2019.1642392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND More than 70% of elderly people age 80 and older are experiencing problems in personal mobility. Assistive robotics can represent a concrete support providing also a support for caregivers, clinicians and nurses by reducing their burden. METHODS A total of 20 older people and 34 caregivers (formal and informal) were interviewed in Italy and the Netherlands to investigate and prioritize their needs concerning the personal mobility domains and their attitudes towards assistive robots. The data were analysed from a user point of view by means of thematic content analysis by underlying recurrent topics. RESULTS The results revealed four categories of needs from the perspective of the older individuals: instrumental needs, rehabilitation needs, personal safety and indoor activities of daily life. Additionally, the results underline how personal mobility issues influence different aspects of daily life. Complementarily, three categories of caregiver needs were also distinguished: instrumental needs, rehabilitation monitoring needs and checkup needs. The highest percentage of participants showed a positive expectation towards assistive robotics. CONCLUSIONS The results were clustered according to the robot abilities (i.e., motion, interaction, manipulation, decision support and perception abilities) as a list of functional and technical requirements that should be developed to address all the needs related to the personal mobility. Robotic developer teams that work in this context could take advantage of this research. Additionally, this work can be used as a basis for clinicians and nurses working in geriatric units to understand how the robots can support and enhance their work. Implications for rehabilitation The incidence of personal mobility limitations affects 35% of adults age 70 and older and 72% of people over 80 years of age. Assistive robots can support elderly people during daily tasks: they could promote their personal mobility acting as a supporting tool. The results of the needs analysis revealed four categories of needs from the perspective of the older individuals: instrumental needs, rehabilitation needs, personal safety, and indoor activities of daily life. Three categories of caregiver needs were also distinguished: instrumental needs, rehabilitation monitoring needs, and check-up needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fiorini
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Italy
| | - Marleen De Mul
- Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Isabelle Fabbricotti
- Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Raffaele Limosani
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Italy
| | - Alessandra Vitanza
- ICT, Innovation and Research Unit, Fondazione "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" - IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Grazia D'Onofrio
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences, Complex Unit of Geriatrics, Fondazione "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" - IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Michael Tsui
- Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniele Sancarlo
- Department of Medical Sciences, Complex Unit of Geriatrics, Fondazione "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" - IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Francesco Giuliani
- ICT, Innovation and Research Unit, Fondazione "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" - IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Antonio Greco
- Department of Medical Sciences, Complex Unit of Geriatrics, Fondazione "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" - IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Denis Guiot
- Centre de recherche DRM-Ermes, PSL, Université Paris-Dauphine, Paris, France
| | - Eloïse Senges
- Centre de recherche DRM-Ermes, PSL, Université Paris-Dauphine, Paris, France
| | - Filippo Cavallo
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Italy
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Zealley B, de Grey ADNJ. Commentary on Some Recent Theses Relevant to Combating Aging: June 2019. Rejuvenation Res 2019; 22:267-273. [PMID: 31111788 DOI: 10.1089/rej.2019.2214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Theses reviewed in this issue include "Age-Associated Lamin-B1 Reduction in the Thymic Epithelial Cells and Its Role in Thymic Involution," "Brainstem Structural Integrity in the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease," "Challenging Current Paradigms: Increasing the Efficacy of Radiation Therapy with Novel Radiation Schemes," "Cross-Talk Between the Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells and Endothelial Cells," "Design and Synthesis of Enzyme-MOF (Metal-Organic Framework) Composites for Long-Persistent Biomedical Applications," and "Megakaryocyte-Membrane Wrapped Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery to Hematopoietic Stem Cells."
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Abstract
This paper presents the application of a mobile robot designed as an Assistant Personal Robot (APR) as a walk-helper tool. The hypothesis is that the height and weight of this mobile robot can be used also to provide a dynamic physical support and guidance to people while they walk. This functionality is presented as a soft walking aid at home but not as a substitute of an assistive cane or a walker device, which may withstand higher weights and provide better stability during a walking. The APR operates as a walk-helper tool by providing user interaction using the original arms of the mobile robot and by using the onboard sensors of the mobile robot in order to avoid obstacles and guide the walking through free areas. The results of the experiments conducted with the walk-helper have showed the automatic generation of smooth walking trajectories and a reduction in the number of manual trajectory corrections required to complete a walking displacement.
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Abstract
Recently, the interest of industry, government agencies and healthcare professionals in technology for aging people has increased. The challenge is whether technology may play a role in enhancing independence and quality of life and in reducing individual and societal costs of caring. Information and communication technologies, i.e. tools aimed at communicating and informing, assistive technologies designed to maintain older peoples' independence and increasing safety, and human-computer interaction technologies for supporting older people with motility and cognitive impairments as humanoid robots, exoskeletons, rehabilitation robots, service robots and companion-type are interdisciplinary topics both in research and in clinical practice. The most promising clinical applications of technologies are housing and safety to guarantee older people remaining in their own homes and communities, mobility and rehabilitation to improve mobility and gait and communication and quality of life by reducing isolation, improve management of medications and transportation. Many factors impair a broad use of technology in older age, including psychosocial and ethical issues, costs and fear of losing human interaction. A substantial lack of appropriate clinical trials to establish the clinical role of technologies to improve physical or cognitive performances and/or quality of life of subjects and their caregivers may suggest that the classical biomedical research model may not be the optimal choice to evaluate technologies in older people. In conclusion, successful technology development requires a great effort in interdisciplinary collaboration to integrate technologies into the existing health and social service systems with the aim to fit into the older adults' everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Pilotto
- Department of Geriatric Care, Orthogeriatrics and Rehabilitation, Frailty Area, E.O. Galliera Hospital, National Relevance & High Specialization Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Raffaella Boi
- Department of Geriatric Care, Orthogeriatrics and Rehabilitation, Frailty Area, E.O. Galliera Hospital, National Relevance & High Specialization Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Jean Petermans
- Geriatric Department, CHU Liège, 600, Route de Gaillarmont, 4032 Chènée LIEGE, Belgium
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