Technology in rehabilitation has advanced incredibly in recent years.
For example, the ability to measure and monitor activity participation in the environment in a reliable manner has necessitated wearable sensors in healthcare (Patel, Park, Bonato, Chan, & Rodgers, 2012).
Utilising wearable body sensors to quantify activity has been exhaustively explored within the elderly population (Chen, Kwong, Chang, Luk, & Bajcsy, 2005; Howcroft, Kofman, & Lemaire, 2013), across various neurological conditions (Haeuber, Shaughnessy, Forrester, Coleman, & Macko, 2004; Motl, Sandroff, & Sosnoff, 2012; Schmidt, Pennypacker, Thrush, Leiper, & Craik, 2001), and with the healthy population as well (Hale, Pal, & Becker, 2008).
The sensors worn detect and transmit critical physiological and biomechanical information like skin temperature, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, body acceleration and body positioning (Maurer, Smailagic, Siewiorek, & Deisher, 2006).
A commonly used method to assess activity levels includes various forms of accelerometers (Karantonis, Narayanan, Mathie, Lovell, & Celler, 2006), PDA and iPhone applications using GPS and gyro accelerometers, pedometers or step counters and heart rate monitors.
For an accurate understanding of the patient’s requirements, a clinical rehabilitation therapist should embrace technology in rehabilitation. At Brainstorm we have access to various forms of wearable sensors to incorporate an appropriate therapy program.
