Radar, Bed Sensors Help Health Providers Detect Problems Early
From: Medical Design Technology - 06/02/2016

Developing and evaluating motion-capture technology to help older adults - age
in place - has been the focus of researchers at the University of Missouri for
more than a decade. Previous research has utilized video game technology and
various web-cameras to detect health changes in Tiger Place residents. Now,
two new studies demonstrate how monitoring walking speed using radar and
heart health by utilizing bed sensors help maintain older adults' health and
warn of impeding issues. "In-home sensors have the ability to capture early
signs of health changes before older adults recognize problems themselves,"
said Marjorie Skubic, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the
MU College of Engineering and director of MU's Center for Eldercare and
Rehabilitation Technology. "The radar enhances our ability to monitor walking
speed and determine if a senior has a fall risk; the bed sensors provide data
on heart rate, respiration rate, and overall cardiac activity when a senior
is sleeping. Both sensors are non-invasive and don’t require seniors to wear
monitoring devices."

Skubic and her team also developed a bed sensor with the ability to
continuously monitor heart rate, respiration rate and overall cardiac
activity. The bed sensors are made using a hydraulic transducer, which is a
flexible tube of water. The transducer measures the ballistocardiogram, which
is the mechanical effect of the blood flowing through the body as a result of
the heart beating.

The radar study and the bed sensor study provide non-invasive monitoring
systems that help detect early signs of illness. Skubic and her team are
working to investigate other sensors that can further improve very early
detection of health changes so that health problems can be addressed while
they are still small and manageable.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/06/radar-bed-sensors-help-health-providers-detect-problems-early
http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2016/0531-radar-bed-sensors-help-health-providers-detect-problems-early

Links:
Center for Eldercare and Rehabilitation Technology
https://www.eldertech.missouri.edu

Marjorie Skubic
http://bengal.missouri.edu/~skubicm
http://engineering.missouri.edu/person/skubicm