title: Virtual reality system based on Kinect for the elderly in fall prevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Daily life movements require balance ability. Good balance control is closely related to body stability and its development. Therefore, balance training is necessary for any age group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study proposes the combination of Kinect and virtual reality to build an information platform of interactive scenarios, for practice and evaluation of balance ability. Real-time monitoring of SpO<formula>_2</formula>, pulse rate, velocity and reaction time during the training process is presented for the training activities of elderly physical function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the indicators of balance ability, this information platform sets out various training activities to improve balance ability, making the supposedly tedious process fun and vivid and leading to much better training results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data (SpO<formula>_2</formula>, pulse rate, velocity, reaction time) collected from this platform can be sorted and analysed, and the results used to evaluate the performance of balance training, and referenced for follow-up planning in the future. The real-time pulse rate and SpO<formula>_2</formula> measurement information indicating the training activities for the elderly to maintain physical function has a positive significance. A noninvasive and unconstrained real-time method to detect the pulse rate and SpO<formula>_2</formula> during exercises is presented. The results of balance assessment scale testing of BBS and TUG for the experimental group show that effective balance really improved. The difference between the experimental group and the control group was achieved by using paired t-test. The data were analysed by the descriptive statistics on significant level of P < 0.01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From the training results of the participants, we know that the information platform developed for enhancing balance ability is in line with practical needs. Furthermore, the fun and interesting game-like exercises it introduces are very helpful in improving balance ability, and certainly in preventing falls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic Engineering and Graduate Institute of Computer and Communication Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan Department of Electronic Engineering, Hwa Hsia Institute of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: W-M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Management Information System, Hwa Hsia Institute of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C-C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S-C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic Engineering and Graduate Institute of Computer and Communication Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S-Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic Engineering and Graduate Institute of Computer and Communication Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S-C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J-S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei, Taiwan Department of Information Management, St. Mary's Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Yilan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D004856:Postural Balance; D011930:Reaction Time; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Balance; Kinect; fall; information platform; virtual reality