Continuous health status monitoring of elderly people using flexible skin patch sensors
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Linköpings universitet - Laboratory of Organic Electronics |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 1 688 848 |
| Project duration | December 2016 - March 2019 |
| Status | Completed |
Important results from the project
Aging populations in Japan and Sweden are leading to new perspectives on elderly care, and new tools and methods are needed to support their quality of life with the available resources. The project aimed to develop a system for continuous health monitoring, thereby increasing the resource efficiency of elderly care. Portable sensors for measuring motion, activity, chemical markers were developed and integrated with circuits for wireless communication and cloud-based evaluation.
Expected long term effects
A bracelet measuring user activity was combined with an algorithm for mood analysis. Further development, with more sensors, will be able to measure, detect and help prevent loneliness in the elderly, especially in more difficult geographical areas, e.g., in Japan. A prototype "smart sock" was developed which can measure leg swelling (edema). This platform is expected to help patients with, e.g., heart failure or diabetes, to understand how their disease and lifestyle affect each other.
Approach and implementation
Areas where health monitoring was useful in Japan and Sweden were identified together with the industrial partners. Based on this, sensors and systems that were shared between the countries were developed. Knowledge has also been transferred through several research visits. The free exchange of information and technology between the countries’ partners has enabled a strong integration of the countries’ technologies.