title: Low-Cost Wearable for Fatigue and Back-Stress Measurement in Nursing.
abstract: In recent years the need for informal home care in European countries is growing quickly due to increased life expectancy and demographic change. Informal caregivers have to overcome many obstacles ranging from a lack of adequate training to misjudging their physical and psychological abilities. The aim of this project is to create a low cost wearable device, which unobtrusively measures the physical stress load on caregivers. Two parameters with the most impact on performance and well-being of the caregiver have been identified: (i) fatigue and (ii) back-stress. Based on the measurements, an alert is issued if caregivers are not performing a task correctly, or if they are overexerting themselves. This paper discusses the design of such device and description of an initial prototype, its advantages and possible further development and applications.
authors.affiliation: Division mHealth, Department of Medical Informatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Halim I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Baquapuri
authors.affiliation: Division mHealth, Department of Medical Informatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wajdan
authors.affiliation: Division mHealth, Department of Medical Informatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ekaterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kutafina
authors.affiliation: Philips Chair for Medical Information Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Berno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Misgeld
authors.affiliation: Division mHealth, Department of Medical Informatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jonas
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017028:Caregivers; D005221:Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D013312:Stress, Physiological