Early detection of falls with multidimensional sensors

描述(申请人提供)：这项研究的最终目标是开发一种通信系统，用于为那些呆在家里、有跌倒或跌倒相关伤害风险的老年人创建远程锻炼计划。该通讯系统将在客户端只需最少的用户互动和技术管理，将是中低收入老年人负担得起的，并将允许在锻炼时间与锻炼指导/监督员进行实时互动(包括视频和音频)。希望这一创新的远程锻炼计划能够吸引更多的老年人，这些老年人习惯于久坐不动、不活跃或呆在家里，不能参加基于社区的集体锻炼计划，保持更高的参与水平，并促进更好的健康和生活质量，而不是传统的基于社区的集体锻炼计划。对于这一阶段的研究，我们将探索建设和使用电信系统的居家养老锻炼计划的可行性。具体目标有三个： 1)开发一对多实时音视频通信的功能原型。原型开发的主要焦点将是其功能性能，而不是其外观、物理尺寸和成本。2)我们将在实验室模拟环境中测试该原型，以评估通信质量和易用性。我们将根据测试结果进行修改，并将生产出用于现场测试的最终样机。3)我们将在一群有跌倒风险的老年人家中安装原型系统，并启动远程锻炼计划。我们将评估沟通质量、目标老年用户的接受和满意程度、提供的技术支持数量以及演习计划的有效性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a communication system that will be used to create a tele-exercise program for those elders who are home-bound, at risk for falls or fall-related injuries. The communication system will require minimal user-interaction and technical management at the client end, will be affordable by middle or low income elders, and will allow real time interaction (both visual and audio) with the exercise director/supervisor during the exercise time. It is hoped that this innovative tele-exercise program will be able to attract more elders who use to have sedentary life style, inactive, or home-bound that prevent them from participating in community based group exercise programs, to retain higher levels of participation, and to promote better health and quality of life, than the traditional, community-based group exercise programs. For this Phase I study, we will explore the feasibility of building and using the telecommunication system for home-based elderly exercise program. There are three specific aims: 1) We will develop a functional prototype that allows one-to-multiple real time audio and video communications. The primary focus of the prototype development will be on its functional performance, instead of its appearance, physical dimension, and cost. 2) We will test this prototype in a laboratory-based simulated environment to assess the quality of the communication and the ease of use. We will make modifications based on the test results, and will produce a final prototype for field testing. 3) We will install the prototype system in the home of a group of elders who are at risk for falls, and start a tele-exercise program. We will assess the quality of the communication, the level of acceptance and satisfaction by the targeted elderly users, the amount of technical support provided, and the effectiveness of the exercise program.