Scientists, including those of Indian-origin, have created a wearable device that can track a person’s movements, ambient environment and bio-signals, and could help monitor dementia patients and diagnose diseases early. The device may also be used in combat training for soldiers, researchers said.
The device, developed by researchers including Debraj De, a postdoctoral fellow and Sajal K Das, department chair of computer science at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) in the US, is going to be tested for patient rehabilitation and routine evaluation. The smart chair and the wearable device are new, noninvasive strategies for earlier diagnosis and represent a partnership among scientists and physicians, said Mignon Makos, from the Phelps County Regional Medical Centre (PCRMC) in the US. The sensing device, which looks like an over-sized watch, has four basic functions.
It records fine-grained movement like fitness trackers, and measures the wearer’s direct physical environment for temperature, humidity and barometric air pressure. It also will track health status through heart rate, respiration rate and galvanic skin response. A person’s skin reacts to stimuli through the sympathetic nervous system, producing a weak electrical current that indicates the wearer’s emotional state, such as being startled or agitated,” De said. The sensing device has functions like Global Positioning System (GPS) and communication with Bluetooth beacons in proximity for various location contexts.