1
|
Gouda A, Andrysek J. The Development of a Wearable Biofeedback System to Elicit Temporal Gait Asymmetry using Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation and an Assessment of Immediate Effects. Sensors (Basel) 2024; 24:400. [PMID: 38257494 PMCID: PMC10819290 DOI: 10.3390/s24020400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Temporal gait asymmetry (TGA) is commonly observed in individuals facing mobility challenges. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) can improve temporal gait parameters by promoting synchronization with external cues. While biofeedback for gait training, providing real-time feedback based on specific gait parameters measured, has been proven to successfully elicit changes in gait patterns, RAS-based biofeedback as a treatment for TGA has not been explored. In this study, a wearable RAS-based biofeedback gait training system was developed to measure temporal gait symmetry in real time and deliver RAS accordingly. Three different RAS-based biofeedback strategies were compared: open- and closed-loop RAS at constant and variable target levels. The main objective was to assess the ability of the system to induce TGA with able-bodied (AB) participants and evaluate and compare each strategy. With all three strategies, temporal symmetry was significantly altered compared to the baseline, with the closed-loop strategy yielding the most significant changes when comparing at different target levels. Speed and cadence remained largely unchanged during RAS-based biofeedback gait training. Setting the metronome to a target beyond the intended target may potentially bring the individual closer to their symmetry target. These findings hold promise for developing personalized and effective gait training interventions to address TGA in patient populations with mobility limitations using RAS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aliaa Gouda
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada;
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada
| | - Jan Andrysek
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada;
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pulcinelli M, Pinnelli M, Massaroni C, Lo Presti D, Fortino G, Schena E. Wearable Systems for Unveiling Collective Intelligence in Clinical Settings. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:9777. [PMID: 38139623 PMCID: PMC10747409 DOI: 10.3390/s23249777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, there is an ever-growing interest in assessing the collective intelligence (CI) of a team in a wide range of scenarios, thanks to its potential in enhancing teamwork and group performance. Recently, special attention has been devoted on the clinical setting, where breakdowns in teamwork, leadership, and communication can lead to adverse events, compromising patient safety. So far, researchers have mostly relied on surveys to study human behavior and group dynamics; however, this method is ineffective. In contrast, a promising solution to monitor behavioral and individual features that are reflective of CI is represented by wearable technologies. To date, the field of CI assessment still appears unstructured; therefore, the aim of this narrative review is to provide a detailed overview of the main group and individual parameters that can be monitored to evaluate CI in clinical settings, together with the wearables either already used to assess them or that have the potential to be applied in this scenario. The working principles, advantages, and disadvantages of each device are introduced in order to try to bring order in this field and provide a guide for future CI investigations in medical contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Pulcinelli
- Research Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Roma, Italy; (M.P.); (M.P.); (C.M.); (E.S.)
| | - Mariangela Pinnelli
- Research Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Roma, Italy; (M.P.); (M.P.); (C.M.); (E.S.)
| | - Carlo Massaroni
- Research Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Roma, Italy; (M.P.); (M.P.); (C.M.); (E.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Daniela Lo Presti
- Research Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Roma, Italy; (M.P.); (M.P.); (C.M.); (E.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Fortino
- DIMES, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 41C, 87036 Rende, Italy;
| | - Emiliano Schena
- Research Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Roma, Italy; (M.P.); (M.P.); (C.M.); (E.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Carnevale A, Mannocchi I, Schena E, Carli M, Sassi MSH, Marino M, Longo UG. Performance Evaluation of an Immersive Virtual Reality Application for Rehabilitation after Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1305. [PMID: 38002429 PMCID: PMC10668954 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10111305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of shoulder rehabilitation in virtual environments. The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of a custom virtual reality application (VR app) with a stereophotogrammetric system considered the gold standard. A custom VR app was designed considering the recommended rehabilitation exercises following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Following the setting of the play space, the user's arm length, and height, five healthy volunteers performed four levels of rehabilitative exercises. Results for the first and second rounds of flexion and abduction displayed low total mean absolute error values and low numbers of unmet conditions. In internal and external rotation, the number of times conditions were not met was slightly higher; this was attributed to a lack of isolated shoulder movement. Data is promising, and volunteers were able to reach goal conditions more often than not. Despite positive results, more literature comparing VR applications with gold-standard clinical parameters is necessary. Nevertheless, results contribute to a body of literature that continues to encourage the application of VR to shoulder rehabilitation programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Carnevale
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Ilaria Mannocchi
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, University of Roma Tre, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146 Roma, Italy; (I.M.); (M.C.); (M.S.H.S.)
| | - Emiliano Schena
- Unit of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy;
| | - Marco Carli
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, University of Roma Tre, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146 Roma, Italy; (I.M.); (M.C.); (M.S.H.S.)
| | - Mohamed Saifeddine Hadj Sassi
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, University of Roma Tre, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146 Roma, Italy; (I.M.); (M.C.); (M.S.H.S.)
| | - Martina Marino
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Umile Giuseppe Longo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (M.M.)
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Huang X, Xue Y, Ren S, Wang F. Sensor-Based Wearable Systems for Monitoring Human Motion and Posture: A Review. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:9047. [PMID: 38005436 PMCID: PMC10675437 DOI: 10.3390/s23229047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, marked progress has been made in wearable technology for human motion and posture recognition in the areas of assisted training, medical health, VR/AR, etc. This paper systematically reviews the status quo of wearable sensing systems for human motion capture and posture recognition from three aspects, which are monitoring indicators, sensors, and system design. In particular, it summarizes the monitoring indicators closely related to human posture changes, such as trunk, joints, and limbs, and analyzes in detail the types, numbers, locations, installation methods, and advantages and disadvantages of sensors in different monitoring systems. Finally, it is concluded that future research in this area will emphasize monitoring accuracy, data security, wearing comfort, and durability. This review provides a reference for the future development of wearable sensing systems for human motion capture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Huang
- Guangdong Modern Apparel Technology & Engineering Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510075, China or (X.H.); (Y.X.); (S.R.)
- Xiayi Lixing Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel, Shangqiu 476499, China
| | - Yunan Xue
- Guangdong Modern Apparel Technology & Engineering Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510075, China or (X.H.); (Y.X.); (S.R.)
| | - Shuyun Ren
- Guangdong Modern Apparel Technology & Engineering Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510075, China or (X.H.); (Y.X.); (S.R.)
| | - Fei Wang
- School of Textile Materials and Engineering, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Guerra BMV, Torti E, Marenzi E, Schmid M, Ramat S, Leporati F, Danese G. Ambient assisted living for frail people through human activity recognition: state-of-the-art, challenges and future directions. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1256682. [PMID: 37849892 PMCID: PMC10577184 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1256682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Ambient Assisted Living is a concept that focuses on using technology to support and enhance the quality of life and well-being of frail or elderly individuals in both indoor and outdoor environments. It aims at empowering individuals to maintain their independence and autonomy while ensuring their safety and providing assistance when needed. Human Activity Recognition is widely regarded as the most popular methodology within the field of Ambient Assisted Living. Human Activity Recognition involves automatically detecting and classifying the activities performed by individuals using sensor-based systems. Researchers have employed various methodologies, utilizing wearable and/or non-wearable sensors, and employing algorithms ranging from simple threshold-based techniques to more advanced deep learning approaches. In this review, literature from the past decade is critically examined, specifically exploring the technological aspects of Human Activity Recognition in Ambient Assisted Living. An exhaustive analysis of the methodologies adopted, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses is provided. Finally, challenges encountered in the field of Human Activity Recognition for Ambient Assisted Living are thoroughly discussed. These challenges encompass issues related to data collection, model training, real-time performance, generalizability, and user acceptance. Miniaturization, unobtrusiveness, energy harvesting and communication efficiency will be the crucial factors for new wearable solutions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Maria Vittoria Guerra
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Emanuele Torti
- Custom Computing and Programmable Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elisa Marenzi
- Custom Computing and Programmable Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Micaela Schmid
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Ramat
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesco Leporati
- Custom Computing and Programmable Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Danese
- Custom Computing and Programmable Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Han L, Liang W, Xie Q, Zhao J, Dong Y, Wang X, Lin L. Health Monitoring via Heart, Breath, and Korotkoff Sounds by Wearable Piezoelectret Patches. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2023; 10:e2301180. [PMID: 37607132 PMCID: PMC10558643 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Real-time monitoring of vital sounds from cardiovascular and respiratory systems via wearable devices together with modern data analysis schemes have the potential to reveal a variety of health conditions. Here, a flexible piezoelectret sensing system is developed to examine audio physiological signals in an unobtrusive manner, including heart, Korotkoff, and breath sounds. A customized electromagnetic shielding structure is designed for precision and high-fidelity measurements and several unique physiological sound patterns related to clinical applications are collected and analyzed. At the left chest location for the heart sounds, the S1 and S2 segments related to cardiac systole and diastole conditions, respectively, are successfully extracted and analyzed with good consistency from those of a commercial medical device. At the upper arm location, recorded Korotkoff sounds are used to characterize the systolic and diastolic blood pressure without a doctor or prior calibration. An Omron blood pressure monitor is used to validate these results. The breath sound detections from the lung/ trachea region are achieved a signal-to-noise ration comparable to those of a medical recorder, BIOPAC, with pattern classification capabilities for the diagnosis of viable respiratory diseases. Finally, a 6×6 sensor array is used to record heart sounds at different locations of the chest area simultaneously, including the Aortic, Pulmonic, Erb's point, Tricuspid, and Mitral regions in the form of mixed data resulting from the physiological activities of four heart valves. These signals are then separated by the independent component analysis algorithm and individual heart sound components from specific heart valves can reveal their instantaneous behaviors for the accurate diagnosis of heart diseases. The combination of these demonstrations illustrate a new class of wearable healthcare detection system for potentially advanced diagnostic schemes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liuyang Han
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua University518055ShenzhenChina
| | - Weijin Liang
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua University518055ShenzhenChina
| | - Qisen Xie
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua University518055ShenzhenChina
| | - JingJing Zhao
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua University518055ShenzhenChina
| | - Ying Dong
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua University518055ShenzhenChina
| | - Xiaohao Wang
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua University518055ShenzhenChina
| | - Liwei Lin
- Department of mechanical engineeringUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyBerkeleyUSA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Antonacci C, Longo UG, Nazarian A, Schena E, Carnevale A. Monitoring Scapular Kinematics through Wearable Magneto-Inertial Measurement Units: State of the Art and New Frontiers. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:6940. [PMID: 37571723 PMCID: PMC10422625 DOI: 10.3390/s23156940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring shoulder kinematics, including the scapular segment, is of great relevance in the orthopaedic field. Among wearable systems, magneto-inertial measurement units (M-IMUs) represent a valid alternative for applications in unstructured environments. The aim of this systematic literature review is to report and describe the existing methods to estimate 3D scapular movements through wearable systems integrating M-IMUs. A comprehensive search of PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and Web of Science was performed, and results were included up to May 2023. A total of 14 articles was included. The results showed high heterogeneity among studies regarding calibration procedures, tasks executed, and the population. Two different techniques were described, i.e., with the x-axis aligned with the cranial edge of the scapular spine or positioned on the flat surface of the acromion with the x-axis perpendicular to the scapular spine. Sensor placement affected the scapular motion and, also, the kinematic output. Further studies should be conducted to establish a universal protocol that reduces the variability among studies. Establishing a protocol that can be carried out without difficulty or pain by patients with shoulder musculoskeletal disorders could be of great clinical relevance for patients and clinicians to monitor 3D scapular kinematics in unstructured settings or during common clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Antonacci
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (C.A.); (A.C.)
- Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy;
| | - Umile Giuseppe Longo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (C.A.); (A.C.)
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Ara Nazarian
- Carl J. Shapiro Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 20115, USA;
| | - Emiliano Schena
- Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy;
| | - Arianna Carnevale
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (C.A.); (A.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Djemal A, Bouchaala D, Fakhfakh A, Kanoun O. Wearable Electromyography Classification of Epileptic Seizures: A Feasibility Study. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:703. [PMID: 37370634 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10060703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate diagnosis and classification of epileptic seizures can greatly support patient treatments. As many epileptic seizures are convulsive and have a motor component, the analysis of muscle activity can provide valuable information for seizure classification. Therefore, this paper present a feasibility study conducted on healthy volunteers, focusing on tracking epileptic seizures movements using surface electromyography signals (sEMG) measured on human limb muscles. For the experimental studies, first, compact wireless sensor nodes were developed for real-time measurement of sEMG on the gastrocnemius, flexor carpi ulnaris, biceps brachii, and quadriceps muscles on the right side and the left side. For the classification of the seizure, a machine learning model has been elaborated. The 16 common sEMG time-domain features were first extracted and examined with respect to discrimination and redundancy. This allowed the features to be classified into irrelevant features, important features, and redundant features. Redundant features were examined with the Big-O notation method and with the average execution time method to select the feature that leads to lower complexity and reduced processing time. The finally selected six features were explored using different machine learning classifiers to compare the resulting classification accuracy. The results show that the artificial neural network (ANN) model with the six features: IEMG, WAMP, MYOP, SE, SKEW, and WL, had the highest classification accuracy (99.95%). A further study confirms that all the chosen eight sensors are necessary to reach this high classification accuracy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Achraf Djemal
- Measurement and Sensor Technology, Chemnitz University of Technology, Reichenhainer Straße 70, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
- Laboratory of Signals, Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Networks, Digital Research Centre of Sfax, National School of Electronics and Telecommunications of Sfax, Technopole of Sfax, Ons City 3021, Tunisia
| | - Dhouha Bouchaala
- National Engineering School of Sfax, University of Sfax, Route de la Soukra km 4, Sfax 3038, Tunisia
| | - Ahmed Fakhfakh
- Laboratory of Signals, Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Networks, Digital Research Centre of Sfax, National School of Electronics and Telecommunications of Sfax, Technopole of Sfax, Ons City 3021, Tunisia
| | - Olfa Kanoun
- Measurement and Sensor Technology, Chemnitz University of Technology, Reichenhainer Straße 70, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Deng Z, Guo L, Chen X, Wu W. Smart Wearable Systems for Health Monitoring. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:s23052479. [PMID: 36904682 PMCID: PMC10007426 DOI: 10.3390/s23052479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Smart wearable systems for health monitoring are highly desired in personal wisdom medicine and telemedicine. These systems make the detecting, monitoring, and recording of biosignals portable, long-term, and comfortable. The development and optimization of wearable health-monitoring systems have focused on advanced materials and system integration, and the number of high-performance wearable systems has been gradually increasing in recent years. However, there are still many challenges in these fields, such as balancing the trade-off between flexibility/stretchability, sensing performance, and the robustness of systems. For this reason, more evolution is required to promote the development of wearable health-monitoring systems. In this regard, this review summarizes some representative achievements and recent progress of wearable systems for health monitoring. Meanwhile, a strategy overview is presented about selecting materials, integrating systems, and monitoring biosignals. The next generation of wearable systems for accurate, portable, continuous, and long-term health monitoring will offer more opportunities for disease diagnosis and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Deng
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Nuclear Power Institute of China, Huayang, Shuangliu District, Chengdu 610213, China
| | - Lihao Guo
- School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Smart Sensors, Xidian University, Xi’an 710126, China
| | - Ximeng Chen
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Smart Sensors, Xidian University, Xi’an 710126, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Liu H, Li H, Wang Z, Wei X, Zhu H, Sun M, Lin Y, Xu L. Robust and Multifunctional Kirigami Electronics with a Tough and Permeable Aramid Nanofiber Framework. Adv Mater 2022; 34:e2207350. [PMID: 36222392 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202207350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Kirigami designs are advantageous for the construction of wearable electronics due to their high stretchability and conformability on the 3D dynamic surfaces of the skin. However, suitable materials technologies that enable robust kirigami devices with desired functionality for skin-interfaces remain limited. Here, a versatile materials platform based on a composite nanofiber framework (CNFF) is exploited for the engineering of wearable kirigami electronics. The self-assembled fibrillar network involving aramid nanofibers and poly(vinyl alcohol) combines high toughness, permeability, and manufacturability, which are desirable for the fabrication of hybrid devices. Multiscale simulations are conducted to explain the high fracture resistance of the CNFF-based kirigami structures and provide essential guidance for the design, which can be further generalized to other kirigami devices. Various microelectronic sensors and electroactive polymers are integrated onto a CNFF-based materials platform to achieve electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), skin-temperature measurements, and measurement of other physiological parameters. These mechanically robust, multifunctional, lightweight, and biocompatible kirigami devices can shed new insights for the development of advanced wearable systems and human-machine interfaces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhen Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Hegeng Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Zuochen Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre Limited, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Xi Wei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre Limited, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Hengjia Zhu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Mingze Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre Limited, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Lizhi Xu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre Limited, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lanata A. Wearable Systems for Home Monitoring Healthcare: The Photoplethysmography Success Pros and Cons. Biosensors (Basel) 2022; 12:861. [PMID: 36290998 PMCID: PMC9599723 DOI: 10.3390/bios12100861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of remote technology has moved medical care services into individuals' homes. In this perspective, the ubiquitous computing research proposes self-management and remote monitoring to help patients with healthcare in low-cost everyday home usage systems based on the latest technological advances in sensors, communication, and portability. This work analyzes recent publications on the paradigm of continuous monitoring through wearable and portable systems, focusing on photoplethysmography (PPG) advances and referencing the current systematic study proposed by Fine et al. The study revised the literature highlighting the pros and cons of using the PPG system for fitness, wellbeing, and medical devices. However, future works should focus on the standardization of the practical use and assessment of the quality of the PPGs' output. For clinical parameter extraction methodology in terms of biological sites of application and signal processing methods, PPG is the most convenient and widely used system potentially suitable for the decentralized paradigm of continuous monitoring healthcare concepts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Lanata
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Romano C, Schena E, Formica D, Massaroni C. Comparison between Chest-Worn Accelerometer and Gyroscope Performance for Heart Rate and Respiratory Rate Monitoring. Biosensors (Basel) 2022; 12:bios12100834. [PMID: 36290971 PMCID: PMC9599933 DOI: 10.3390/bios12100834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The demand for wearable devices to simultaneously monitor heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) values has grown due to the incidence increase in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The use of inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors, embedding both accelerometers and gyroscopes, may ensure a non-intrusive and low-cost monitoring. While both accelerometers and gyroscopes have been assessed independently for both HR and RR monitoring, there lacks a comprehensive comparison between them when used simultaneously. In this study, we used both accelerometers and gyroscopes embedded in a single IMU sensor for the simultaneous monitoring of HR and RR. The following main findings emerged: (i) the accelerometer outperformed the gyroscope in terms of accuracy in both HR and RR estimation; (ii) the window length used to estimate HR and RR values influences the accuracy; and (iii) increasing the length over 25 s does not provide a relevant improvement, but accuracy improves when the subject is seated or lying down, and deteriorates in the standing posture. Our study provides a comprehensive comparison between two promising systems, highlighting their potentiality for real-time cardiorespiratory monitoring. Furthermore, we give new insights into the influence of window length and posture on the systems' performance, which can be useful to spread this approach in clinical settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Romano
- Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Emiliano Schena
- Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Formica
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Carlo Massaroni
- Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Muller A, Mecheri H, Corbeil P, Plamondon A, Robert-Lachaine X. Inertial Motion Capture-Based Estimation of L5/S1 Moments during Manual Materials Handling. Sensors (Basel) 2022; 22:s22176454. [PMID: 36080913 PMCID: PMC9459798 DOI: 10.3390/s22176454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Inertial motion capture (IMC) has gained popularity in conducting ergonomic studies in the workplace. Because of the need to measure contact forces, most of these in situ studies are limited to a kinematic analysis, such as posture or working technique analysis. This paper aims to develop and evaluate an IMC-based approach to estimate back loading during manual material handling (MMH) tasks. During various representative workplace MMH tasks performed by nine participants, this approach was evaluated by comparing the results with the ones computed from optical motion capture and a large force platform. Root mean square errors of 21 Nm and 15 Nm were obtained for flexion and asymmetric L5/S1 moments, respectively. Excellent correlations were found between both computations on indicators based on L5/S1 peak and cumulative flexion moments, while lower correlations were found on indicators based on asymmetric moments. Since no force measurement or load kinematics measurement is needed, this study shows the potential of using only the handler's kinematics measured by IMC to estimate kinetics variables. The assessment of workplace physical exposure, including L5/S1 moments, will allow more complete ergonomics evaluation and will improve the ecological validity compared to laboratory studies, where the situations are often simplified and standardized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Muller
- Univ Lyon, Univ Gustave Eiffel, Univ Claude Bernard Lyon 1, LBMC UMR_T 9406, F-69622 Lyon, France
| | - Hakim Mecheri
- Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail (IRSST), Montreal, QC H3A 3C2, Canada
| | - Philippe Corbeil
- Department of Kinesiology, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale du Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale (CIRRIS/CIUSSS-CN), Québec, QC G1C 3S2, Canada
| | - André Plamondon
- Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail (IRSST), Montreal, QC H3A 3C2, Canada
| | - Xavier Robert-Lachaine
- Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail (IRSST), Montreal, QC H3A 3C2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Potkay JA, Thompson AJ, Toomasian J, Lynch W, Bartlett RH, Rojas-Peña A. Toward a Servoregulation Controller to Automate CO2 Removal in Wearable Artificial Lungs. ASAIO J 2022; 68:698-706. [PMID: 34380953 PMCID: PMC8828797 DOI: 10.1097/mat.0000000000001551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A laptop-driven, benchtop control system that automatically adjusts carbon dioxide (CO2) removal in artificial lungs (ALs) is described. The proportional-integral-derivative (PID) feedback controller modulates pump-driven air sweep gas flow through an AL to achieve a desired exhaust gas CO2 partial pressure (EGCO2). When EGCO2 increases, the servoregulator automatically and rapidly increases sweep flow to remove more CO2. If EGCO2 decreases, the sweep flow decreases to reduce CO2 removal. System operation was tested for 6 hours in vitro using bovine blood and in vivo in three proof-of-concept sheep experiments. In all studies, the controller automatically adjusted the sweep gas flow to rapidly (<1 minute) meet the specified EGCO2 level when challenged with changes in inlet blood or target EGCO2 levels. CO2 removal increased or decreased as a function of arterial pCO2 (PaCO2). Such a system may serve as a controller in wearable AL systems that allow for large changes in patient activity or disease status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Potkay
- From the Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Alex J Thompson
- From the Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - John Toomasian
- From the Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - William Lynch
- From the Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Robert H Bartlett
- From the Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Alvaro Rojas-Peña
- From the Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Gioia F, Greco A, Callara AL, Scilingo EP. Towards a Contactless Stress Classification Using Thermal Imaging. Sensors (Basel) 2022; 22:s22030976. [PMID: 35161722 PMCID: PMC8839779 DOI: 10.3390/s22030976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Thermal cameras capture the infrared radiation emitted from a body in a contactless manner and can provide an indirect estimation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) dynamics through the regulation of the skin temperature. This study investigates the contribution given by thermal imaging for an effective automatic stress detection with the perspective of a contactless stress recognition system. To this aim, we recorded both ANS correlates (cardiac, electrodermal, and respiratory activity) and thermal images from 25 volunteers under acute stress induced by the Stroop test. We conducted a statistical analysis on the features extracted from each signal, and we implemented subject-independent classifications based on the support vector machine model with an embedded recursive feature elimination algorithm. Particularly, we trained three classifiers using different feature sets: the full set of features, only those derived from the peripheral autonomic correlates, and only those derived from the thermal images. Classification accuracy and feature selection results confirmed the relevant contribution provided by the thermal features in the acute stress detection task. Indeed, a combination of ANS correlates and thermal features achieved 97.37% of accuracy. Moreover, using only thermal features we could still successfully detect stress with an accuracy of 86.84% in a contact-free manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Gioia
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.G.); (A.L.C.); (E.P.S.)
- Research Center “E. Piaggio”, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Alberto Greco
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.G.); (A.L.C.); (E.P.S.)
- Research Center “E. Piaggio”, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alejandro Luis Callara
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.G.); (A.L.C.); (E.P.S.)
- Research Center “E. Piaggio”, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Enzo Pasquale Scilingo
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.G.); (A.L.C.); (E.P.S.)
- Research Center “E. Piaggio”, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Arpaia P, Crauso F, De Benedetto E, Duraccio L, Improta G, Serino F. Soft Transducer for Patient's Vitals Telemonitoring with Deep Learning-Based Personalized Anomaly Detection. Sensors (Basel) 2022; 22:s22020536. [PMID: 35062496 PMCID: PMC8777728 DOI: 10.3390/s22020536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
This work addresses the design, development and implementation of a 4.0-based wearable soft transducer for patient-centered vitals telemonitoring. In particular, first, the soft transducer measures hypertension-related vitals (heart rate, oxygen saturation and systolic/diastolic pressure) and sends the data to a remote database (which can be easily consulted both by the patient and the physician). In addition to this, a dedicated deep learning algorithm, based on a Long-Short-Term-Memory Autoencoder, was designed, implemented and tested for providing an alert when the patient’s vitals exceed certain thresholds, which are automatically personalized for the specific patient. Furthermore, a mobile application (EcO2u) was developed to manage the entire data flow and facilitate the data fruition; this application also implements an innovative face-detection algorithm that ensures the identity of the patient. The robustness of the proposed soft transducer was validated experimentally on five individuals, who used the system for 30 days. The experimental results demonstrated an accuracy in anomaly detection greater than 93%, with a true positive rate of more than 94%.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Arpaia
- Interdepartmental Research Center in Health Management and Innovation in Healthcare (CIRMIS), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy;
- Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (DIETI), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Crauso
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy; (F.C.); (G.I.)
| | - Egidio De Benedetto
- Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (DIETI), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Luigi Duraccio
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Polytechnic University of Turin, 10129 Turin, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Improta
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy; (F.C.); (G.I.)
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Paloschi D, Bravi M, Schena E, Miccinilli S, Morrone M, Sterzi S, Saccomandi P, Massaroni C. Validation and Assessment of a Posture Measurement System with Magneto-Inertial Measurement Units. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:6610. [PMID: 34640930 PMCID: PMC8513009 DOI: 10.3390/s21196610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Inappropriate posture and the presence of spinal disorders require specific monitoring systems. In clinical settings, posture evaluation is commonly performed with visual observation, electrogoniometers or motion capture systems (MoCaps). Developing a measurement system that can be easily used also in non-structured environments would be highly beneficial for accurate posture monitoring. This work proposes a system based on three magneto-inertial measurement units (MIMU), placed on the backs of seventeen volunteers on the T3, T12 and S1 vertebrae. The reference system used for validation is a stereophotogrammetric motion capture system. The volunteers performed forward bending and sit-to-stand tests. The measured variables for identifying the posture were the kyphosis and the lordosis angles, as well as the range of movement (ROM) of the body segments. The comparison between MIMU and MoCap provided a maximum RMSE of 5.6° for the kyphosis and the lordosis angles. The average lumbo-pelvic contribution during forward bending (41.8 ± 8.6%) and the average lumbar ROM during sit-to-stand (31.8 ± 9.8° for sitting down, 29.6 ± 7.6° for standing up) obtained with the MIMU system agree with the literature. In conclusion, the MIMU system, which is wearable, inexpensive and easy to set up in non-structured environments, has been demonstrated to be effective in posture evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Paloschi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, Italy;
| | - Marco Bravi
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitative Unit, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (S.M.); (M.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Emiliano Schena
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Roma, Italy; (E.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Sandra Miccinilli
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitative Unit, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (S.M.); (M.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Michelangelo Morrone
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitative Unit, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (S.M.); (M.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Silvia Sterzi
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitative Unit, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (S.M.); (M.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Paola Saccomandi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, Italy;
| | - Carlo Massaroni
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Roma, Italy; (E.S.); (C.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Walha R, Lebel K, Gaudreault N, Dagenais P, Cereatti A, Della Croce U, Boissy P. The Accuracy and Precision of Gait Spatio-Temporal Parameters Extracted from an Instrumented Sock during Treadmill and Overground Walking in Healthy Subjects and Patients with a Foot Impairment Secondary to Psoriatic Arthritis. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:s21186179. [PMID: 34577387 PMCID: PMC8472002 DOI: 10.3390/s21186179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy and precision of a system combining an IMU-instrumented sock and a validated algorithm for the estimation of the spatio-temporal parameters of gait. A total of 25 healthy participants (HP) and 21 patients with foot impairments secondary to psoriatic arthritis (PsA) performed treadmill walking at three different speeds and overground walking at a comfortable speed. HP performed the assessment over two sessions. The proposed system's estimations of cadence (CAD), gait cycle duration (GCD), gait speed (GS), and stride length (SL) obtained for treadmill walking were validated versus those estimated with a motion capture system. The system was also compared with a well-established multi-IMU-based system for treadmill and overground walking. The results showed a good agreement between the motion capture system and the IMU-instrumented sock in estimating the spatio-temporal parameters during the treadmill walking at normal and fast speeds for both HP and PsA participants. The accuracy of GS and SL obtained from the IMU-instrumented sock was better compared to the established multi-IMU-based system in both groups. The precision (inter-session reliability) of the gait parameter estimations obtained from the IMU-instrumented sock was good to excellent for overground walking and treadmill walking at fast speeds, but moderate-to-good for slow and normal treadmill walking. The proposed IMU-instrumented sock offers a novel form factor addressing the wearability issues of IMUs and could potentially be used to measure spatio-temporal parameters under clinical conditions and free-living conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roua Walha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.W.); (N.G.); (P.D.)
| | - Karina Lebel
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS Estrie CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 4C4, Canada;
- Faculty of Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Nathaly Gaudreault
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.W.); (N.G.); (P.D.)
| | - Pierre Dagenais
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.W.); (N.G.); (P.D.)
| | - Andrea Cereatti
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy;
| | - Ugo Della Croce
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
| | - Patrick Boissy
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.W.); (N.G.); (P.D.)
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS Estrie CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 4C4, Canada;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-819-780-2220 (ext. 45628)
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Carnevale A, Schena E, Formica D, Massaroni C, Longo UG, Denaro V. Skin Strain Analysis of the Scapular Region and Wearables Design. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:s21175761. [PMID: 34502652 PMCID: PMC8434297 DOI: 10.3390/s21175761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Monitoring scapular movements is of relevance in the contexts of rehabilitation and clinical research. Among many technologies, wearable systems instrumented by strain sensors are emerging in these applications. An open challenge for the design of these systems is the optimal positioning of the sensing elements, since their response is related to the strain of the underlying substrates. This study aimed to provide a method to analyze the human skin strain of the scapular region. Experiments were conducted on five healthy volunteers to assess the skin strain during upper limb movements in the frontal, sagittal, and scapular planes at different degrees of elevation. A 6 × 5 grid of passive markers was placed posteriorly to cover the entire anatomic region of interest. Results showed that the maximum strain values, in percentage, were 28.26%, and 52.95%, 60.12% and 60.87%, 40.89%, and 48.20%, for elevation up to 90° and maximum elevation in the frontal, sagittal, and scapular planes, respectively. In all cases, the maximum extension is referred to the pair of markers placed horizontally near the axillary fold. Accordingly, this study suggests interesting insights for designing and positioning textile-based strain sensors in wearable systems for scapular movements monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Carnevale
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 00128 Rome, Italy; (U.G.L.); (V.D.)
- Unit of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 00128 Rome, Italy; (E.S.); (C.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Emiliano Schena
- Unit of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 00128 Rome, Italy; (E.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Domenico Formica
- Unit of Neurophysiology and Neuroengineering of Human Technology Interaction (NeXT), Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 00128 Rome, Italy;
| | - Carlo Massaroni
- Unit of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 00128 Rome, Italy; (E.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Umile Giuseppe Longo
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 00128 Rome, Italy; (U.G.L.); (V.D.)
| | - Vincenzo Denaro
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 00128 Rome, Italy; (U.G.L.); (V.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ramachandran A, Karuppiah A. A Survey on Recent Advances in Machine Learning Based Sleep Apnea Detection Systems. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9070914. [PMID: 34356293 PMCID: PMC8306425 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9070914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects a large population. This disorder can cause or augment the exposure to cardiovascular dysfunction, stroke, diabetes, and poor productivity. The polysomnography (PSG) test, which is the gold standard for sleep apnea detection, is expensive, inconvenient, and unavailable to the population at large. This calls for more friendly and accessible solutions for diagnosing sleep apnea. In this paper, we examine how sleep apnea is detected clinically, and how a combination of advances in embedded systems and machine learning can help make its diagnosis easier, more affordable, and accessible. We present the relevance of machine learning in sleep apnea detection, and a study of the recent advances in the aforementioned area. The review covers research based on machine learning, deep learning, and sensor fusion, and focuses on the following facets of sleep apnea detection: (i) type of sensors used for data collection, (ii) feature engineering approaches applied on the data (iii) classifiers used for sleep apnea detection/classification. We also analyze the challenges in the design of sleep apnea detection systems, based on the literature survey.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anita Ramachandran
- Department of Computer Science & Information Systems, BITS, Pilani 560001, India
- Correspondence:
| | - Anupama Karuppiah
- Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, BITS, Pilani-K K Birla Goa Campus, Near NH17B, Zuari Nagar, Sancoale 403726, India;
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Miccinilli S, Schena E, Massaroni C, Bravi M, Campiglia F, Santacaterina F, Foti C, Bressi F, Sterzi S. Use of wearable systems for the detection of chest-abdominal wall movement aimed at respiratory monitoring in sport: a scoping review on available data. J BIOL REG HOMEOS AG 2020; 34:87-96. Technology in Medicine. [PMID: 33386038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There is a significant request for wearable systems for vital signs and athletic performance monitoring during sport practice, both in professional and non-professional fields. Respiratory rate is a rather neglected parameter in this field, but several studies show that it is a strong marker of physical exertion. The aim of the present scoping review is to evaluate the number and kind of existing studies on wearable technologies for the analysis of the chest wall movement for respiratory monitoring in sport and fitness. The review included studies investigating the use of contact-based wearable techniques for the detection of chest wall movement for respiratory monitoring during professional or amateur sport, during fitness and physical activity. The search was conducted on PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar electronic databases using keywords. Data extracted were entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet by the leading author and then double-checked by the second author. A total of 25 descriptive studies met the inclusion criteria. Few studies on small number of athletes were found, technologies were often evaluated without a reference system, data on participants are sometimes missing. To date, we are not able to draw conclusions on which is the best and most reliable device to use during sport practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Miccinilli
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Italy
- PhD Student in Research Doctorate in Tissue Engineering and Remodeling Biotechnologies For Body Function, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - E Schena
- Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
| | - C Massaroni
- Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
| | - M Bravi
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Italy
| | - F Campiglia
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Italy
| | - F Santacaterina
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Italy
| | - C Foti
- Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine Department; Research Doctorate in Tissue Engineering And Remodeling Biotechnologies For Body Function, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - F Bressi
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Italy
| | - S Sterzi
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Park S, Kim H, Kim JH, Yeo WH. Advanced Nanomaterials, Printing Processes, and Applications for Flexible Hybrid Electronics. Materials (Basel) 2020; 13:E3587. [PMID: 32823736 DOI: 10.3390/ma13163587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in nanomaterial preparation and printing technologies provide unique opportunities to develop flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) for various healthcare applications. Unlike the costly, multi-step, and error-prone cleanroom-based nano-microfabrication, the printing of nanomaterials offers advantages, including cost-effectiveness, high-throughput, reliability, and scalability. Here, this review summarizes the most up-to-date nanomaterials, methods of nanomaterial printing, and system integrations to fabricate advanced FHE in wearable and implantable applications. Detailed strategies to enhance the resolution, uniformity, flexibility, and durability of nanomaterial printing are summarized. We discuss the sensitivity, functionality, and performance of recently reported printed electronics with application areas in wearable sensors, prosthetics, and health monitoring implantable systems. Collectively, the main contribution of this paper is in the summary of the essential requirements of material properties, mechanisms for printed sensors, and electronics.
Collapse
|
23
|
Abdollahi M, Ashouri S, Abedi M, Azadeh-Fard N, Parnianpour M, Khalaf K, Rashedi E. Using a Motion Sensor to Categorize Nonspecific Low Back Pain Patients: A Machine Learning Approach. Sensors (Basel) 2020; 20:E3600. [PMID: 32604794 DOI: 10.3390/s20123600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) constitutes a critical health challenge that impacts millions of people worldwide with devastating health and socioeconomic consequences. In today’s clinical settings, practitioners continue to follow conventional guidelines to categorize NSLBP patients based on subjective approaches, such as the STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST). This study aimed to develop a sensor-based machine learning model to classify NSLBP patients into different subgroups according to quantitative kinematic data, i.e., trunk motion and balance-related measures, in conjunction with STarT output. Specifically, inertial measurement units (IMU) were attached to the trunks of ninety-four patients while they performed repetitive trunk flexion/extension movements on a balance board at self-selected pace. Machine learning algorithms (support vector machine (SVM) and multi-layer perceptron (MLP)) were implemented for model development, and SBST results were used as ground truth. The results demonstrated that kinematic data could successfully be used to categorize patients into two main groups: high vs. low-medium risk. Accuracy levels of ~75% and 60% were achieved for SVM and MLP, respectively. Additionally, among a range of variables detailed herein, time-scaled IMU signals yielded the highest accuracy levels (i.e., ~75%). Our findings support the improvement and use of wearable systems in developing diagnostic and prognostic tools for various healthcare applications. This can facilitate development of an improved, cost-effective quantitative NSLBP assessment tool in clinical and home settings towards effective personalized rehabilitation.
Collapse
|
24
|
Čuljak I, Lučev Vasić Ž, Mihaldinec H, Džapo H. Wireless Body Sensor Communication Systems Based on UWB and IBC Technologies: State-of-the-Art and Open Challenges. Sensors (Basel) 2020; 20:E3587. [PMID: 32630376 DOI: 10.3390/s20123587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In recent years there has been an increasing need for miniature, low-cost, commercially accessible, and user-friendly sensor solutions for wireless body area networks (WBAN), which has led to the adoption of new physical communication interfaces providing distinctive advantages over traditional wireless technologies. Ultra-wideband (UWB) and intrabody communication (IBC) have been the subject of intensive research in recent years due to their promising characteristics as means for short-range, low-power, and low-data-rate wireless interfaces for interconnection of various sensors and devices placed on, inside, or in the close vicinity of the human body. The need for safe and standardized solutions has resulted in the development of two relevant standards, IEEE 802.15.4 (for UWB) and IEEE 802.15.6 (for UWB and IBC), respectively. This paper presents an in-depth overview of recent studies and advances in the field of application of UWB and IBC technologies for wireless body sensor communication systems.
Collapse
|
25
|
Zalewski P, Marchegiani L, Elsts A, Piechocki R, Craddock I, Fafoutis X. From Bits of Data to Bits of Knowledge-An On-Board Classification Framework for Wearable Sensing Systems. Sensors (Basel) 2020; 20:s20061655. [PMID: 32188114 PMCID: PMC7146308 DOI: 10.3390/s20061655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Wearable systems constitute a promising solution to the emerging challenges of healthcare provision, feeding machine learning frameworks with necessary data. In practice, however, raw data collection is expensive in terms of energy, and therefore imposes a significant maintenance burden to the user, which in turn results in poor user experience, as well as significant data loss due to improper battery maintenance. In this paper, we propose a framework for on-board activity classification targeting severely energy-constrained wearable systems. The proposed framework leverages embedded classifiers to activate power-hungry sensing elements only when they are useful, and to distil the raw data into knowledge that is eventually transmitted over the air. We implement the proposed framework on a prototype wearable system and demonstrate that it can decrease the energy requirements by one order of magnitude, yielding high classification accuracy that is reduced by approximately 5%, as compared to a cloud-based reference system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Zalewski
- Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK; (P.Z.); (R.P.); (I.C.)
| | - Letizia Marchegiani
- Department of Electronic Systems, Aalborg University, Aalborg Ø 9220, Denmark;
| | - Atis Elsts
- Institute of Electronics and Computer Science (EDI), Dzerbenes 14, Riga LV-1006, Latvia
- Correspondence:
| | - Robert Piechocki
- Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK; (P.Z.); (R.P.); (I.C.)
| | - Ian Craddock
- Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK; (P.Z.); (R.P.); (I.C.)
| | - Xenofon Fafoutis
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark;
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Escamilla-Nunez R, Michelini A, Andrysek J. Biofeedback Systems for Gait Rehabilitation of Individuals with Lower-Limb Amputation: A Systematic Review. Sensors (Basel) 2020; 20:s20061628. [PMID: 32183338 PMCID: PMC7146745 DOI: 10.3390/s20061628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with lower-limb amputation often have gait deficits and diminished mobility function. Biofeedback systems have the potential to improve gait rehabilitation outcomes. Research on biofeedback has steadily increased in recent decades, representing the growing interest toward this topic. This systematic review highlights the methodological designs, main technical and clinical challenges, and evidence relating to the effectiveness of biofeedback systems for gait rehabilitation. This review provides insights for developing an effective, robust, and user-friendly wearable biofeedback system. The literature search was conducted on six databases and 31 full-text articles were included in this review. Most studies found biofeedback to be effective in improving gait. Biofeedback was most commonly concurrently provided and related to limb loading and symmetry ratios for stance or step time. Visual feedback was the most used modality, followed by auditory and haptic. Biofeedback must not be obtrusive and ideally provide a level of enjoyment to the user. Biofeedback appears to be most effective during the early stages of rehabilitation but presents some usability challenges when applied to the elderly. More research is needed on younger populations and higher amputation levels, understanding retention as well as the relationship between training intensity and performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Escamilla-Nunez
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4Y 1R5, Canada; (R.E.-N.); (A.M.)
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada
| | - Alexandria Michelini
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4Y 1R5, Canada; (R.E.-N.); (A.M.)
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada
| | - Jan Andrysek
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4Y 1R5, Canada; (R.E.-N.); (A.M.)
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Rezayi S, Safaei AA, Mohammadzadeh N. Requirement Specification and Modeling a Wearable Smart Blanket System for Monitoring Patients in Ambulance. J Med Signals Sens 2019; 9:234-244. [PMID: 31737552 PMCID: PMC6839437 DOI: 10.4103/jmss.jmss_55_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background: Nowadays, the role of smart systems and developed tools such as wearable systems for monitoring the patients and controlling their conditions consistently has increased significantly. The present research sought to identify the factors which are essential for designing a wearable smart blanket system and modeling the proposed systems. Methods: To this aim, the requirements for creating the proposed system in ambulance were described after determining the features related to wearable systems by conducting on a comparative study. First, some studies were performed to identify the wearable system development. Then, the elicited questionnaire was given to the physicians and medical informatics specialists. Finally, the extracted requirements were implemented for modeling a smart blanket system. Results: Based on the results, the wearable smart blanket system includes some specific characteristics such as monitoring the important signs, communicating with the surroundings, processing the signals instantly, and storing all important signs. In addition, they should involve some nonfunctional characteristics such as easy installment and function, interactivity, error fault tolerance, low energy consumption, and the accuracy of sign stability. Then, based on the requirements and data elements extracted from the questionnaire, the system was modeled as a detailed design of the proposed technical blanket system. Based on the results, the architecture of the designed system could provide expected scenarios by using the Active Review for Intermediate Design-oriented scenario-based evaluation method. Conclusion: Today, smart systems and tools have considerably developed in terms of monitoring the patients and controlling their conditions. Therefore, wearable systems can be implemented for monitoring the health status of patients in ambulance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sorayya Rezayi
- Department of Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Asghar Safaei
- Department of Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Niloofar Mohammadzadeh
- Department of Health Information Management, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lo Presti D, Romano C, Massaroni C, D'Abbraccio J, Massari L, Caponero MA, Oddo CM, Formica D, Schena E. Cardio-Respiratory Monitoring in Archery Using a Smart Textile Based on Flexible Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors. Sensors (Basel) 2019; 19:E3581. [PMID: 31426480 DOI: 10.3390/s19163581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In precision sports, the control of breathing and heart rate is crucial to help the body to remain stable in the shooting position. To improve stability, archers try to adopt similar breathing patterns and to have a low heartbeat during each shot. We proposed an easy-to-use and unobtrusive smart textile (ST) which is able to detect chest wall excursions due to breathing and heart beating. The sensing part is based on two FBGs housed into a soft polymer matrix to optimize the adherence to the chest wall and the system robustness. The ST was assessed on volunteers to figure out its performance in the estimation of respiratory frequency (fR) and heart rate (HR). Then, the system was tested on two archers during four shooting sessions. This is the first study to monitor cardio-respiratory activity on archers during shooting. The good performance of the ST is supported by the low mean absolute percentage error for fR and HR estimation (≤1.97% and ≤5.74%, respectively), calculated with respect to reference signals (flow sensor for fR, photopletismography sensor for HR). Moreover, results showed the capability of the ST to estimate fR and HR during different phases of shooting action. The promising results motivate future investigations to speculate about the influence of fR and HR on archers' performance.
Collapse
|
29
|
Nozariasbmarz A, Krasinski JS, Vashaee D. N-Type Bismuth Telluride Nanocomposite Materials Optimization for Thermoelectric Generators in Wearable Applications. Materials (Basel) 2019; 12:E1529. [PMID: 31083307 DOI: 10.3390/ma12091529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Thermoelectric materials could play a crucial role in the future of wearable electronic devices. They can continuously generate electricity from body heat. For efficient operation in wearable systems, in addition to a high thermoelectric figure of merit, zT, the thermoelectric material must have low thermal conductivity and a high Seebeck coefficient. In this study, we successfully synthesized high-performance nanocomposites of n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3, optimized especially for body heat harvesting and power generation applications. Different techniques such as dopant optimization, glass inclusion, microwave radiation in a single mode microwave cavity, and sintering conditions were used to optimize the temperature-dependent thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te2.7Se0.3. The effects of these techniques were studied and compared with each other. A room temperature thermal conductivity as low as 0.65 W/mK and high Seebeck coefficient of −297 μV/K were obtained for a wearable application, while maintaining a high thermoelectric figure of merit, zT, of 0.87 and an average zT of 0.82 over the entire temperature range of 25 °C to 225 °C, which makes the material appropriate for a variety of power generation applications.
Collapse
|
30
|
Manjakkal L, Navaraj WT, Núñez CG, Dahiya R. Graphene-Graphite Polyurethane Composite Based High-Energy Density Flexible Supercapacitors. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2019; 6:1802251. [PMID: 30989034 PMCID: PMC6446598 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201802251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Energy autonomy is critical for wearable and portable systems and to this end storage devices with high-energy density are needed. This work presents high-energy density flexible supercapacitors (SCs), showing three times the energy density than similar type of SCs reported in the literature. The graphene-graphite polyurethane (GPU) composite based SCs have maximum energy and power densities of 10.22 µWh cm-2 and 11.15 mW cm-2, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and operating voltage of 2.25 V (considering the IR drop). The significant gain in the performance of SCs is due to excellent electroactive surface per unit area (surface roughness 97.6 nm) of GPU composite and high electrical conductivity (0.318 S cm-1). The fabricated SCs show stable response for more than 15 000 charging/discharging cycles at current densities of 10 mA cm-2 and operating voltage of 2.5 V (without considering the IR drop). The developed SCs are tested as energy storage devices for wide applications, namely: a) solar-powered energy-packs to operate 84 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for more than a minute and to drive the actuators of a prosthetic limb; b) powering high-torque motors; and c) wristband for wearable sensors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Libu Manjakkal
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) GroupSchool of EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowG12 8QQGlasgowUK
| | - William Taube Navaraj
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) GroupSchool of EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowG12 8QQGlasgowUK
| | - Carlos García Núñez
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) GroupSchool of EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowG12 8QQGlasgowUK
- SUPAInstitute of Thin FilmsSensors and ImagingSchool of ComputingEngineering and Physical SciencesUniversity of the West of ScotlandPA12BEPaisleyScotlandUK
| | - Ravinder Dahiya
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) GroupSchool of EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowG12 8QQGlasgowUK
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Grosselin F, Navarro-Sune X, Vozzi A, Pandremmenou K, De Vico Fallani F, Attal Y, Chavez M. Quality Assessment of Single-Channel EEG for Wearable Devices. Sensors (Basel) 2019; 19:s19030601. [PMID: 30709004 PMCID: PMC6387437 DOI: 10.3390/s19030601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The recent embedding of electroencephalographic (EEG) electrodes in wearable devices raises the problem of the quality of the data recorded in such uncontrolled environments. These recordings are often obtained with dry single-channel EEG devices, and may be contaminated by many sources of noise which can compromise the detection and characterization of the brain state studied. In this paper, we propose a classification-based approach to effectively quantify artefact contamination in EEG segments, and discriminate muscular artefacts. The performance of our method were assessed on different databases containing either artificially contaminated or real artefacts recorded with different type of sensors, including wet and dry EEG electrodes. Furthermore, the quality of unlabelled databases was evaluated. For all the studied databases, the proposed method is able to rapidly assess the quality of the EEG signals with an accuracy higher than 90%. The obtained performance suggests that our approach provide an efficient, fast and automated quality assessment of EEG signals from low-cost wearable devices typically composed of a dry single EEG channel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Grosselin
- hlSorbonne Université, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, INSERM U-1127, CNRS UMR-7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Groupe Hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, 75013 Paris, France.
- myBrainTechnologies, 75010 Paris, France.
| | | | | | | | - Fabrizio De Vico Fallani
- hlSorbonne Université, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, INSERM U-1127, CNRS UMR-7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Groupe Hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, 75013 Paris, France.
- INRIA, Aramis Project-Team, F-75013 Paris, France.
| | | | - Mario Chavez
- CNRS UMR-7225, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, 75013 Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Dias D, Paulo Silva Cunha J. Wearable Health Devices-Vital Sign Monitoring, Systems and Technologies. Sensors (Basel) 2018; 18:E2414. [PMID: 30044415 PMCID: PMC6111409 DOI: 10.3390/s18082414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Wearable Health Devices (WHDs) are increasingly helping people to better monitor their health status both at an activity/fitness level for self-health tracking and at a medical level providing more data to clinicians with a potential for earlier diagnostic and guidance of treatment. The technology revolution in the miniaturization of electronic devices is enabling to design more reliable and adaptable wearables, contributing for a world-wide change in the health monitoring approach. In this paper we review important aspects in the WHDs area, listing the state-of-the-art of wearable vital signs sensing technologies plus their system architectures and specifications. A focus on vital signs acquired by WHDs is made: first a discussion about the most important vital signs for health assessment using WHDs is presented and then for each vital sign a description is made concerning its origin and effect on heath, monitoring needs, acquisition methods and WHDs and recent scientific developments on the area (electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood glucose, skin perspiration, capnography, body temperature, motion evaluation, cardiac implantable devices and ambient parameters). A general WHDs system architecture is presented based on the state-of-the-art. After a global review of WHDs, we zoom in into cardiovascular WHDs, analysing commercial devices and their applicability versus quality, extending this subject to smart t-shirts for medical purposes. Furthermore we present a resumed evolution of these devices based on the prototypes developed along the years. Finally we discuss likely market trends and future challenges for the emerging WHDs area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Duarte Dias
- Biomedical Research and INnovation (BRAIN), Centre for Biomedical Engineering Research (C-BER), INESC Technology and Science, Porto 4200-465, Portugal.
| | - João Paulo Silva Cunha
- Biomedical Research and INnovation (BRAIN), Centre for Biomedical Engineering Research (C-BER), INESC Technology and Science, Porto 4200-465, Portugal.
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto 4200-465, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Andreoni G, Standoli CE, Perego P. Defining Requirements and Related Methods for Designing Sensorized Garments. Sensors (Basel) 2016; 16:E769. [PMID: 27240361 PMCID: PMC4934195 DOI: 10.3390/s16060769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Designing smart garments has strong interdisciplinary implications, specifically related to user and technical requirements, but also because of the very different applications they have: medicine, sport and fitness, lifestyle monitoring, workplace and job conditions analysis, etc. This paper aims to discuss some user, textile, and technical issues to be faced in sensorized clothes development. In relation to the user, the main requirements are anthropometric, gender-related, and aesthetical. In terms of these requirements, the user's age, the target application, and fashion trends cannot be ignored, because they determine the compliance with the wearable system. Regarding textile requirements, functional factors-also influencing user comfort-are elasticity and washability, while more technical properties are the stability of the chemical agents' effects for preserving the sensors' efficacy and reliability, and assuring the proper duration of the product for the complete life cycle. From the technical side, the physiological issues are the most important: skin conductance, tolerance, irritation, and the effect of sweat and perspiration are key factors for reliable sensing. Other technical features such as battery size and duration, and the form factor of the sensor collector, should be considered, as they affect aesthetical requirements, which have proven to be crucial, as well as comfort and wearability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Andreoni
- Design Department, Politecnico di Milano, via G. Durando 38/A, 20158 Milan, Italy.
| | | | - Paolo Perego
- Design Department, Politecnico di Milano, via G. Durando 38/A, 20158 Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Quandt BM, Scherer LJ, Boesel LF, Wolf M, Bona GL, Rossi RM. Body-monitoring and health supervision by means of optical fiber-based sensing systems in medical textiles. Adv Healthc Mater 2015; 4:330-55. [PMID: 25358557 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201400463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Long-term monitoring with optical fibers has moved into the focus of attention due to the applicability for medical measurements. Within this Review, setups of flexible, unobtrusive body-monitoring systems based on optical fibers and the respective measured vital parameters are in focus. Optical principles are discussed as well as the interaction of light with tissue. Optical fiber-based sensors that are already used in first trials are primarily selected for the section on possible applications. These medical textiles include the supervision of respiration, cardiac output, blood pressure, blood flow and its saturation with hemoglobin as well as oxygen, pressure, shear stress, mobility, gait, temperature, and electrolyte balance. The implementation of these sensor concepts prompts the development of wearable smart textiles. Thus, current sensing techniques and possibilities within photonic textiles are reviewed leading to multiparameter designs. Evaluation of these designs should show the great potential of optical fibers for the introduction into textiles especially due to the benefit of immunity to electromagnetic radiation. Still, further improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio is often necessary to develop a commercial monitoring system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brit M. Quandt
- Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology; Laboratory for Protection and Physiology; Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9016 St. Gallen Switzerland
- ETH Zurich, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering; Gloriastrasse 35 8092 Zurich Switzerland
| | | | - Luciano F. Boesel
- Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology; Laboratory for Protection and Physiology; Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9016 St. Gallen Switzerland
| | - Martin Wolf
- Division of Neonatology; University Hospital Zurich; Frauenklinikstrasse 10 8091 Zurich Switzerland
| | - Gian-Luca Bona
- ETH Zurich, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering; Gloriastrasse 35 8092 Zurich Switzerland
- Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology; Überlandstrasse 129 8600 Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - René M. Rossi
- Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology; Laboratory for Protection and Physiology; Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9016 St. Gallen Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|