Active Assistance for Senior Healthcare: A Wearable System for Fall Detection

Elders lose independence and wellbeing, accompanied by decreased functions in terms of hearing, vision, strength and coordination abilities. These factors contribute to balance difficulties that eventually lead to falls. The injuries due to falls, at this age, are risky, since most of the times may cause a significant – and permanent – decrease of quality of life or, in extreme cases, death. In this context, a fall detection system can bring an added value to assist elderly people.This paper describes a system consisting of a wearable sensor unit, a smartphone and a website. When the sensor detects a fall it sends an alert using the smartphone via Bluetooth 4.0, to notify the family members or stakeholders. The sensor device includes an inertial unit, a barometer, and a temperature and humidity sensor. The website displays the log of previous falls and enables the configuration of emergency contact numbers. The proposed fall detection system is one of multiple components within a larger project under development that offers a holistic perspective on falls; the complete wearable solution will also feature, among others, physical protection (minimizing the impact of falls that occur).

Privacy and Data Protection in Elderly Healthcare: Threats and Legal Warranties

The progressive aging of the population requires new kinds of social and medical intervention and the availability of different services provided to the elder population. New applications have been developed and some services are now provided at home, allowing the older people to stay home instead of having to stay in hospitals. But an adequate response to the needs of the users will imply a high percentage of use of personal data and information, including the building up and maintenance of user profiles, feeding the systems with the data and information needed for a proactive intervention in scheduling of events in which the user may be involved. Fundamental Rights may be at stake, so a legal analysis must also be considered.

Optimizing electrode positioning in 3-lead ECG chest devices

Although the 12-lead electrocardiogram has become an essential medical and research tool, many current and envisaged applications would benefit from simpler devices, using 3-lead ECG configuration. This is particularly true for Ambient Assisted Living (in a broad perspective). However, the chest anatomy of female patients, namely during pregnancy, can hamper the adequate placement of a 3-lead ECG device and, very often, electrodes are placed below the chest rather than at the precise thoracic landmarks. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of electrode positioning on the ECG signal of pregnant women and provide guidelines for device development. The effect of breast tissue on the ECG signal was investigated by relating breast size with the signal-to-noise ratio, root mean square and R-wave amplitude. Results show that the 3-lead ECG should be placed on the breast rather than under the breast and indicate positive correlation between breast size and signal-to-noise ratio.

Portugal citius, altius, fortius? O incumprimento da Lei-Quadro da política criminal…

Colapso do sistema informático da Justiça, Citius?! É que, a ser verdade, então seria o kaos da justiça e teria que haver consequências imediatas na tutela, pois poderia estar em causa a aplicação prática dos Direitos Fundamentais dos cidadãos e das organizações legais, tendo que ser declarado, ouvido o Conselho de Estado, o “estado de emergência”, de acordo com o art. 19º da Constituição. § Mas mais incrível ainda é o facto de estar por cumprir desde 2011 (dois mil e onze!), a Lei-Quadro de Política Criminal! Abstract: Collapse of the computer system of justice, Citius ?! Is that to be true, then it would be the kaos justice and would have to be immediate consequences in the protection, it could be because the practical application of fundamental rights of citizens and legal organizations, having to be declared, after hearing the Council of State the "state of emergency", according to art. 19 of the Constitution. § But more amazing is the fact of being unfulfilled since 2011 (two thousand and eleven!), The Framework Law for Criminal Policy!