Towards falls prevention: A wearable wireless and battery-less sensing and automatic identification tag for real time monitoring of human movements

Damith C. Ranasinghe, Roberto L. Shinmoto Torres, Alanson P. Sample, Joshua R. Smith, Keith Hill, Renuka Visvanathan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference PaperResearchpeer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Falls related injuries among elderly patients in hospitals or residents in residential care facilities is a significant problem that causes emotional and physical trauma to those involved while presenting a rising healthcare expense in countries such as Australia where the population is ageing. Novel approaches using low cost and privacy preserving sensor enabled Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology may have the potential to provide a low cost and effective technological intervention to prevent falls in hospitals. We outline the details of a wearable sensor enabled RFID tag that is battery free, low cost, lightweight, maintenance free and can be worn continuously for automatic and unsupervised remote monitoring of activities of frail patients at acute hospitals or residents in residential care. The technological developments outlined in the paper forms part of an overall technological intervention developed to reduce falls at acute hospitals or in residential care facilities. This paper outlines the details of the technology, underlying algorithms and the results (where an accuracy of 94-100% was achieved) of a successful pilot trial.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2012 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2012
PublisherIEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Pages6402-6405
Number of pages4
ISBN (Print)9781424441198
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Dec 2012
Externally publishedYes
EventInternational Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society 2012 - Hilton San Diego Bayfront, San Diego, United States of America
Duration: 28 Aug 20121 Sept 2012
Conference number: 34th
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/6320834/proceeding (Proceedings)

Publication series

NameProceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS
ISSN (Print)1557-170X

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society 2012
Abbreviated titleEMBC 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States of America
CitySan Diego
Period28/08/121/09/12
Internet address

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