TITLE:
A Wireless Body Sensor Platform to Detect Progressive Deterioration in Musculoskeletal Systems
AUTHORS:
Paul Hanley, Paul Fergus, Faycal Bouhafs
KEYWORDS:
Sensors; Sensor Networks; Networked Medical Devices; Networked Appliances; Home Networking; Real-Time Monitoring; Preventative Technologies; High Precision Measurement
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Internet of Things,
Vol.3 No.2A,
June
19,
2013
ABSTRACT: Recent developments in technology
have helped to reduce the physical size and weight of devices and opened up new
opportunities for their application in delivering unobtrusive healthcare
services. In particular, kinetic and kinematic systems, that use sensors
attached to the body, are currently being used to measure and understand many
different aspects of human
gait and behaviour. This has been particularly useful in treating stroke
patients, rehabilitation, and understanding sedentary behaviour. Nonetheless, many of these systems are
only capable of providing information about rudimentary movement rather than
data on the mechanics of motion itself (tendons, ligaments and so on).
Therefore, the information required by healthcare professionals to treat
diseases like progressive deterioration of the musculoskeletal system, i.e. arthritis, cannot be determined.
This paper discusses some of the technologies currently used to assess movement
and posits a novel approach based on strain gauge technology to measure the
constituent parts of a joint and its movement. In this way, the mechanics of
motion can be studied and used to help detect and treat musculoskeletal
diseases. A case study is presented to demonstrate the applicability of our
approach.