Proceedings Article | 9 May 2024
KEYWORDS: Electronic components, Data processing, Algorithm development, Sensors, Injuries, Data acquisition, Intelligence systems, Evolutionary algorithms, Control systems, Batteries
Electronic devices for monitoring and controlling falls are currently classified into three categories: manual, automatic or intelligent. Manual devices are those characterized by being activated by mechanical activation, arising from the physical action of the user, in the face of a possible fall or emergency risk situation, and they cannot be activated with the use of the hands by individuals with reduced motor capacity, people with cognitive restrictions or bedridden individuals due to a serious immobilizing illness. Automatic devices are presented as an evolution, when compared to manual ones, since they allow the use of sensors to monitor the individual and are independent of the user's condition, or his will to carry out the monitoring. On the other hand, intelligent electronic devices, object of study of this research that was developed in a hospital environment, in addition to having all the previous advantages of the automatic device, can recognize the individual's behavior through artificial intelligence, indicating the time spent per position, trend of movements and imminence of risk conditions and/or subject to pressure sores while bedridden. After the literature review stage on the epidemiology, pathophysiology of falls, risk stratification of falls, cost of falls and currently existing solutions, the health telemetry device denominated Stakecare was developed, which integrates hardware and software. The health telemetry device constructed in this work is Stakecare device which is attached to the human body by means of an anti-allergic material, consisting of a fixation strap, a fixation system, in the anterior part of the thorax and under the human sternum bone. This position has multiple advantages over existing solutions, as in this location the device can present information regarding its functionalities to users and/or health professionals through its luminous display. The device integrates in a single portable system, light, small and easy to handle, all the sensors that are responsible for acquiring data in real time or less than 4 seconds for the reading referring to the geopositioning of the individual (angulation, rotation and acceleration), measurement of body temperature, measurement of heart rate and measurement of oxygen saturation in the blood. As it is a new telemetry technology in health, the Stakecare software also presents, in a versatile and innovative way, indicators associated with the Morse scale, Braden scale and medication control. The main result obtained with the development of Stakecare device (hardware and software) is in the electronic circuit of the device, which has a dedicated and programmable data processing unit, with an optimized algorithm developed to know and learn from the individual's behavior, using embedded artificial intelligence, which indicates the permanence time per position, trend of movements and imminence of risk conditions.
