Early detection of falls with multidimensional sensors

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究的最终目标是开发一种通信系统，用于为那些在家、有福尔斯风险或与跌倒有关的伤害的老年人创建远程锻炼计划。通信系统将需要在客户端的最小的用户交互和技术管理，将由中等或低收入的老年人负担得起，并且将允许在锻炼时间期间与锻炼指导者/监督者进行真实的时间交互（包括视觉和听觉）。本研究希望借由这项创新的远距运动计划，能吸引更多习惯久坐、不爱运动或居家的长者参与社区团体运动计划，以维持更高的参与度，并促进更好的健康和生活质量。在第一期研究中，我们会探讨兴建及使用长者家居运动电讯系统的可行性。有三个具体目标： 1)我们将开发一个功能原型，允许一对多的真实的时间音频和视频通信。原型开发的主要重点将是其功能性能，而不是其外观，物理尺寸和成本。2)我们将在基于实验室的模拟环境中测试此原型，以评估通信质量和易用性。我们将根据测试结果进行修改，并将生产最终原型进行现场测试。3)我们将在一群有福尔斯风险的老人家中安装原型系统，并开始远程锻炼计划。我们将评估沟通的质量、目标老年用户的接受度和满意度、提供的技术支持量以及锻炼计划的有效性。

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.