EIT week44-1 Health Sensing

Health Sensing Technologies

Course Overview

• Course: Engineering Interaction Technologies
• Professor: Michael Wessely
• Institution: Interactive Matter Lab

Introduction to Health Sensing

• Focus: Incorporates traditional and technical HCI perspectives to design user interfaces and develop novel sensing technologies aimed at enhancing accessibility, portability, and cost-efficiency.
• Applications: Includes various sectors such as virtual reality, telepresence robotics, and support for individuals with impairments.

Advancements in Health Sensing Systems

• Basic Architecture:
  • Signal Acquisition: Use of advanced analog-to-digital converters and operation amplifiers.
  • Signal Processing: Implementation of algorithms on cost-effective processors enabling ubiquitous computing.

Traditional vs. Novel Health Sensing

• Traditional Approach: Infrequent, often annual visits to the doctor, offering limited data primarily for reactive healthcare.
• Novel Approach: Continuous, ubiquitous health monitoring providing real-time data for preventive care and early warnings.

Sensing Technologies and Applications

• Smartphone-Based Sensing:
  • Anemia Detection: Utilizes smartphone cameras to analyze hemoglobin concentration through light absorption in blood.
  • Jaundice Monitoring: Software uses smartphone cameras for colorimetric analysis to detect bilirubin levels.
  • Asthma Monitoring: Employs the smartphone’s microphone to assess lung function based on sound analysis.
  • Traumatic Brain Injury Diagnosis: Analyzes pupil response to light using smartphone cameras.

Research and Development in Health Sensing

• Behavior Analysis:
  • Stress Detection: Monitors interactions with computer peripherals to gauge stress levels.
  • Sleep Quality Assessment: Uses smartphone sensors to track sleep patterns.
  • Obesity and Physical Activity Monitoring: Analyzes motion and stationary periods through embedded smartphone sensors.

Wearable and Implanted Sensors

• Wearable Devices: Focus on integrating sensors close to or on the body for more accurate health monitoring.
• Implanted Devices:
  • Provide direct health metrics from within the body.
  • Examples include devices for continuous drug delivery and dynamic heart monitoring.

Future Directions and Challenges

• Innovations: Exploration of ungrounded force feedback, wearable shape displays, and contact-less tactile feedback using air cannons or ultrasound.
• Challenges: Include ensuring user accessibility, managing device cost, maintaining measurement accuracy, and addressing the variability in individual health metrics.

Conclusion

Health sensing technologies are rapidly evolving, offering significant benefits for both individual health management and broader medical practices. These technologies promise to transform traditional healthcare methods by providing more personalized, timely, and data-driven health insights.