Informatics Publishing Limited

Atika Arshad ¹, Ahmad Fadzil Ismail ¹, Sheroz Khan ¹, Wahidah Hashim ², Mohammad Kamrul Hasan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, MY
2 Department of System and Networking, Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, MY

Abstract

With the rapid growth of a number of elderly people around the world, an increasing need has arisen in providing physical security to them. Researchers have been working in developing such monitoring systems for the past decades. However, the needs of elderly people and their families are yet to be fulfilled, especially since the developed existing systems need their users to change their lifestyles. This work aims at suggesting a system for monitoring the occupancy of an elderly person on the bed. Capacitive proximity sensing system has been proven to be a probable solution for indoor localization, which senses the presence of a human body. Nevertheless, the requirements for installation are many, which make the integration costly. In this paper, a flexible and integrated solution is proposed that makes use of inexpensive, open source hardware, allowing indoor localization and fall detection. The bed monitoring system is made up of aluminum sheets sensor electrodes installed under the bed sheets to detect the sleeping patterns of the subject. An alarm system has been integrated into the room to enable the elderly to call for help during an emergency. Presence detector and light controlling device are installed on the floor surface to detect the mobility of the elderly and turn ON/OFF the room lights automatically. The proposed system allows elderly people to live independent living at homes with all amenities.

Keywords

Bed Occupancy Sensor, Capacitive Proximity Sensing, Elderly Monitoring, Independent Living, Indoor Monitoring System.

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Fawwaz E. Fajingbesi ¹, Rashidah F. Olanrewaju ¹, Bisma Rasool Pampori ², Sheroz Khan ¹, Mashkuri Yacoob ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, IIUM Malaysia, MY
2 Department of Information Technology, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal - 191201, Jammu and Kashmir, IN

Abstract

The time between detection and response to chronic diseases could go a long way in saving lives. The current trend in health monitoring systems is to move from the hospital centered device to eventually portable personal devices. Hence, Telemedical health care involves the remote delivery of medical care service to either out-of-hospital or admitted patients through wireless network and computer information technology. This paper systematically reviews the most recent works in telemedical health care system to propose a more efficient model. The focus is more on wearable sensors and devices with most attention given to cardiovascular patients in recent times. The huge literature available reflects the size of activity and attention given to telemedicine. The reviewed works are published within the last five years. Furthermore, the proposed systems are compared in terms of their connectivity, targeted application, type of sensor used, etc. Our study reveals Telemedicine to be a profound field with researchers from multidisciplinary sectors. However, there are still many gaps that need to be filled before maturity. Factors such as efficient wireless transmission, cyber data security, sensor design and integration, device miniaturization and intelligent algorithm for multi parameter data fusion require further considerations.

Keywords

Physiological Health Parameters, Telemedicine, Telehealth, Vital Signs, Wearable Sensors, Wireless Communication.

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