Technology and Health Care - Volume 31, issue 6

Authors: Daunoravičienė, Kristina | Pauk, Jolanta

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235005

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2397-2399, 2023

Authors: Osa-Sanchez, Ainhoa | Jossa-Bastidas, Oscar | Mendez-Zorrilla, Amaia | Oleagordia-Ruiz, Ibon | Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Loneliness and social isolation are recognized as critical public health issues. Older people are at greater risk of loneliness and social isolation as they deal with things like living alone, loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and hearing loss. Loneliness increases a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, including dementia, heart disease, and stroke. To address these issues, the inclusion of technological platforms and the use of commercial monitoring devices are vastly increasing in healthcare and elderly care. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to design and develop a loneliness monitor …serverless architecture to obtain real-time data from commercial activity wristbands through an Application Programming Interface. METHODS: For the design and development of the architecture, the Amazon Web Services platform has been used. To monitor loneliness, the Fitbit Charge 5 bracelet was selected. Through the web Application Programming Interface offered by the AWS Lambda service, the data is obtained and stored in AWS services with an automated frequency thanks to the event bridge. RESULTS: In the pilot stage in which the system is, it is showing great possibilities in the ease of collecting data and programming the sampling frequency. Once the request is made, the data is automatically analyzed to monitor loneliness. CONCLUSION: The proposed architecture shows great potential for easy data collection, analysis, security, personalization, real-time inference, and scalability of sensors and actuators in the future. It has powerful benefits to apply in the health sector and reduces cases of depression and loneliness. Show more

Keywords: Loneliness, serverless, AWS, wearables, monitoring

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235006

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2401-2409, 2023

Authors: Petuchova, Aleksandra | Maknickas, Algirdas | Kostenko, Ernest | Stonkus, Rimantas

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Understanding the mechanical properties of aortic tissue is essential for developing numerical computation tools and assessing the risk of aortic aneurysm fractures. Tensile tests using aortic wall specimens allow for the determination of stress and strain depending on the location and direction of the sample. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to perform a mechanical tensile test using canine aorta samples and create a numerical model of aortic tissue tension from the processed data. METHODS: Dogbone-shaped samples were dissected from canine aortic segments. The initial measurements were made at zero tension …and the tensile tests were conducted at 10 mm/min until rupture. Force and stretch data were used to obtain engineering and true stress-strain curves. The true stress-strain curves were taken until the maximum strength was obtained, after which they were smoothed and fitted using a logistic function with three coefficients. These curves were then used as material mechanical properties for a numerical model of the aortic tissue tension. A simplified rectangle form was used to mimic the middle of the dogbone-shaped portion of the tissue specimen. Experimental displacement data were collected for the boundary conditions of the finite element 3D model. RESULTS: The experimental data processing revealed that the logistic function described the nonlinear behaviour of the aorta soft tissue with an accuracy of 95% from the start of the tension to the media layer rupture. By applying numerical simulations, we obtained a correspondence of the load curve with an RMSE = 0.069 for the theoretical and experimental external tension data. CONCLUSION: The numerical investigation confirmed that the non-linear soft tissue was validated by applying a logistic function approach to the mechanical properties of the aortic wall. Show more

Keywords: Aortic wall, mechanical properties, stress-strain curve, tensile test

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235007

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2411-2421, 2023

Authors: Daugulis, Pauls | Kataševs, Aleksejs | Okss, Aleksandrs

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Unsupervised sports activities could cause traumas, about 70% of them are those of the low extremities. To avoid traumas, the athlete should be aware of dangerous forces acting within low extremity joints. Research in gait analysis indicated that plantar pressure alteration rate correlates with the gait pace. Thus, the changes in plantar pressure should correlate with the accelerations of extremities, and with the forces, acting in the joints. Smart socks provide a budget solution for the measurement of plantar pressure. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the correlation between the plantar pressure, measured using smart socks, and forces, …acting in the joints of the lower extremities. METHODS: The research is case study based. The volunteer performed a set of squats. The arbitrary plantar pressure-related data were obtained using originally developed smart socks with embedded knitted pressure sensors. Simultaneously, the lower extremity motion data were recorded using two inertial measurement units, attached to the tight and the ankle, from which the forces acted in the knee joint were estimated. The simplest possible model of knee joint mechanics was used to estimate force. RESULTS: The estimates of the plantar pressure and knee joint forces demonstrate a strong correlation (r = 0.75, P < 0.001). The established linear regression equation enables the calculation of the knee joint force with an uncertainty of 22% using the plantar pressure estimate. The accuracy of the classification of the joint force as excessive, i.e., being more than 90% of the maximal force, was 82%. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate the feasibility of the smart socks for the estimation of the forces in the knee joints. Smart socks therefore could be used to develop excessive joint force alert devices, that could replace less convenient inertial sensors. Show more

Keywords: Knee joint force, plantar pressure, smart textile, smart socks

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235008

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2423-2434, 2023

Authors: Žukauskienė, Milda | Markauskienė, Asta | Juraitis, Tomas | Kuzborska, Zyta

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The prototype of mobility trainer-verticalizer (hereinafter – PMTV) is designed to develop existing movements caused by individual physical conditions and disease damage, as close as possible to the natural biomechanics of a healthy person. The aim is to make the equipment comfortable, simple, suitable for everyday use in a variety of environments, from medical institutions to the patient’s home, and customizable according to the anthropometric data of the growing child. OBJECTIVE: To investigate and evaluate the technical characteristics and feasibility of a PMTV for children (2 to 7 years) weighing up to 20 kg. …METHODS: Empirical research method (anthropometric measurements); quantitative research method (survey); qualitative research method (interviews). RESULTS: The PMTV is suitable for use with children aged 2 to 7 years, although children with various disabilities may have heights, weights and other anthropometric data that fall far below or exceed the healthy standard. The exercise with the use of a PMTV had a positive effect on muscle tone, with a decrease in muscle tone in both the upper and lower limbs. An increased range of motion (hereinafter – ROM) of shoulder flexion and abduction was observed. In the lower limb, there was an improvement in the ROM of hip internal and external rotation and the flexion and extension of knee. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapy using PMTV had a positive effect on the subject’s limb volume and muscle tone, a positive effect on the subject’s passive ROM, and a positive effect on the subject’s gross motor function. Show more

Keywords: Mobility trainer-verticalizer, physiotherapy, children

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235009

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2435-2445, 2023

Authors: Gourrame, Khadija | Griškevičius, Julius | Haritopoulos, Michel | Lukšys, Donatas | Jatužis, Dalius | Kaladytė-Lokominienė, Rūta | Bunevičiūtė, Ramunė | Mickutė, Gabrielė

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments and various other symptoms. Early and accurate classification of PD patients is crucial for timely intervention and personalized treatment. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) have emerged as a promising tool for gathering movement data and aiding in PD classification. OBJECTIVE: This paper proposes a Convolutional Wavelet Neural Network (CWNN) approach for PD classification using IMU data. CWNNs have emerged as effective models for sensor data classification. The objective is to determine the optimal combination of wavelet transform and IMU data type that yields the …highest classification accuracy for PD. METHODS: The proposed CWNN architecture integrates convolutional neural networks and wavelet neural networks to capture spatial and temporal dependencies in IMU data. Different wavelet functions, such as Morlet, Mexican Hat, and Gaussian, are employed in the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) step. The CWNN is trained and evaluated using various combinations of accelerometer data, gyroscope data, and fusion data. RESULTS: Extensive experiments are conducted using a comprehensive dataset of IMU data collected from individuals with and without PD. The performance of the proposed CWNN is evaluated in terms of classification accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. The results demonstrate the impact of different wavelet functions and IMU data types on PD classification performance, revealing that the combination of Morlet wavelet function and IMU data fusion achieves the highest accuracy. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the significance of combining CWT with IMU data fusion for PD classification using CWNNs. The integration of CWT-based feature extraction and the fusion of IMU data from multiple sensors enhance the representation of PD-related patterns, leading to improved classification accuracy. This research provides valuable insights into the potential of CWT and IMU data fusion for advancing PD classification models, enabling more accurate and reliable diagnosis. Show more

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, classification, Convolutional Wavelet Neural Networks (CWNN), wavelet transformations, IMU data

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235010

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2447-2455, 2023

Authors: Daunoraviciene, Kristina | Pauk, Jolanta | Ziziene, Jurgita | Belickiene, Vaida | Raistenskis, Juozas

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Healthy children’s gait support patterns play a critical role in their development and overall well-being. Therefore, in order to develop a correct gait, it is necessary to constantly update knowledge. OBJECTIVE: To identify differences in gait support among children in neighbouring countries. METHODS: 44 healthy children from Poland and Lithuania (4–11 years old) participated in the study. The spatiotemporal and plantar pressure parameters of 88 neutrally aligned feet were analysed and compared. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between stance, single-limb support, double support, swing duration, cadence, and velocity, max. force …and pressure in the forefoot, as well as in the times of occurrence of max. forces in all three zones. Defined that age is related (p < 0.05) to cadence (R = 0.32), swing phase (R = 0.53), max. force under the midfoot (R = 0.35) and the heel (R = 0.47), max. pressure under the forefoot (R = - 0.52), midfoot (R = - 0.63) and heel (R = - 0.47). CONCLUSION: The results can help caregivers, as well as clinicians and researchers, understand how gait mechanics change with development and the growth course of the children of that country. Also, the results are important for the analysis and comparison of children’s gait, as control reference data from the same country. Show more

Keywords: Support patterns, gait, healthy children, physical growth, motor skills

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235011

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2457-2466, 2023

Authors: Derlatka, Marcin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Automatic recognition of a person’s gender as well as his or her unilateral load state are issues that are often analyzed and utilized by a wide range of applications. For years, scientists have recognized human gait patterns for purposes connected to medical diagnoses, rehabilitation, sport, or biometrics. OBJECTIVE: The present paper makes use of ground reaction forces (GRF) generated during human gait to recognize gender or the unilateral load state of a walking person as well as the combination of both of those characteristics. METHODS: To solve the above-stated problem parameters calculated …on the basis of all GRF components such as mean, variance, standard deviation of data, peak-to-peak amplitude, skewness, kurtosis, and Hurst exponent as well as leading classification algorithms including kNN, artificial neural networks, decision trees, and random forests, were utilized. Data were collected by means of Kistler’s force plates during a study carried out at the Bialystok University of Technology on a sample of 214 people with a total of 7,316 recorded gait cycles. RESULTS: The best results were obtained with the use of the kNN classifier which recognized the gender of the participant with an accuracy of 99.37%, the unilateral load state with an accuracy reaching 95.74%, and the combination of those two states with an accuracy of 95.31% which, when compared to results achieved by other authors are some of the most accurate. CONCLUSION: The study has shown that the given set of parameters in combination with the kNN classifying algorithm allows for an effective automatic recognition of a person’s gender as well as the presence of an asymmetrical load in the form of a hand-carried briefcase. The presented method can be used as a first stage in biometrics systems. Show more

Keywords: Ground reaction force, gender recognition, gait with unilateral load, biometrics

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235012

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2467-2475, 2023

Authors: Grycuk, Slawomir | Mrozek, Piotr

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Orthotic braces play a key role in the correction of spinal deformities. The effectiveness of these devices depends on the design and distribution of corrective forces transmitted through the corset shell. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to reduce the weight of the orthosis and improve its functionality while maintaining its corrective function. METHODS: The distribution of corrective forces transmitted by the orthosis was evaluated using the finite element method (FEM). Areas of the orthosis, which had minimal impact on the overall stiffness, were identified and material from these areas was removed. The …modified orthosis shell was subjected to minor adjustments to maintain its corrective stiffness. RESULTS: With the modifications made, a 39% reduction in the weight of the orthosis was achieved, while maintaining its corrective stiffness. This indicates that the corrective function was largely preserved. CONCLUSION: The study provides a novel approach to orthosis design demonstrating that optimizing the structure using the distribution of maximum principal stress trajectories can significantly improve the functionality of the brace. The proposed method offers potential advances in the design of various types of orthoses, contributing to developments in the field. Show more

Keywords: Scoliosis, orthosis, brace, torso

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235013

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2477-2486, 2023

Authors: Zadoń, Hanna | Michnik, Robert | Nowakowska-Lipiec, Katarzyna

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Correct body weight is one of the factors that allows you to maintain a properly functioning body. Abnormal body weight can cause muscle tissue remodelling, affecting activity and muscle fatigue. Changes in the muscular system can cause occurrence of functional limitations. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of weight change on fatigue and activity of the muscular system during daily activities. METHODS: The evaluation of musculoskeletal functioning was based on the results of computer simulations conducted in the AnyBody Modeling System. The following activities were analysed: standing, sitting down and getting up from …a chair, holding and lifting an object, and walking. The simulations of the activities were carried out using averaged kinematic data, and by changing body mass in the range of 50 kg to 100 kg by increments of 2 kg, to map different nutritional status from excessive thinness to extreme obesity. Identification of loads in the musculoskeletal system was based on solving an inverse dynamics problem and then the estimation of muscle force values using static optimization. The simulation results allowed to determine the value of muscle fatigue and the level of muscle activity. RESULTS: For activities (i.e., standing, walking, sitting down and getting up from a chair) it was observed that the value of muscle fatigue increases with increasing body mass. However, for activities that cause more load on the musculoskeletal system, i.e. lifting and holding an object, the highest value of muscle fatigue was observed in underweight individuals. CONCLUSION: The change in body weight alters the functioning of the muscular system and thus the ability to perform activities. It was shown that in case of underweight, overweight or obese people, abnormal body weight can be the reason for occurrence of difficulties in performing the activities of lifting and holding a 20 kg object, as well as walking. Show more

Keywords: Mass changes, underweight, overweight, muscular system, mathematical modelling, AnyBody Modeling System

DOI: 10.3233/THC-235014

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2487-2498, 2023