Assisting physical (hydro)therapy with wireless sensors networks

1. Assisting Physical (Hydro)Therapy With Wireless Sensors Networks
Abstract:
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and Internet of Things (IoT)have been
used to build several eHealth systems, which enable a physician (or
caregiver) to monitor a patient (or elderly) continuously and real time,
either locally or remotely, at lower cost and being less intrusive in the
routine than the traditional monitoring equipment. Physical therapy aiding
systems are a particular case of such systems, with specific characteristics
and requirements, concerning equipment, software, and system. This work
presents a system aimed at assessing joint angle and vital signs to assist
physical therapists. The system is also available to hydrotherapy, which
imposes packaging, sensing, and communication challenges. We discuss
our design and implementation, as well as common problems with this
kind of application. We also present statistical analysis of the system
results based on experiments conducted and compared to a goniometer, a
standard physical therapy device.