Design and integration of fall and mobility monitors in health monitoring platforms

Abstract

This chapter discusses the design and integration of fall and mobility sensor platforms for mobile and remote health signs monitoring. With a steadily increasing elderly population in Europe [1] and indeed throughout significant parts of the rest of the world, health services for elderly people are placing a growing strain on national health budgets [2] and the availability of nursing and care taker staff. Additionally, perhaps due to the advent of technology in general and changing social relations in society, there is an ever-increasing wish amongst our elderly citizens to live independently and be mobile for as long as possible. Recent advances in telecommunications, medical devices and technology in the home environment have enabled elderly people to live independently for longer than ever before. However, integrated systems targeting the monitoring of these elders' health in the home environment are at best scarce. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.