Wearable Stretch Sensors for Human Movement Monitoring and Fall Detection in Ergonomics

Chander, H., Burch V, R. F., Talegaonkar, P., Saucier, D., Luczak, T., Ball, J. E., Turner, A., Arachchige, S., Carroll, W., Smith, B. K., Knight, A., & Prabhu, R. (2020). Wearable Stretch Sensors for Human Movement Monitoring and Fall Detection in Ergonomics. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17(10), 3554. DOI:10.3390/ijerph17103554.

Abstract

Wearable sensors are beneficial for continuous health monitoring, movement analysis, rehabilitation, evaluation of human performance, and for fall detection. Wearable stretch sensors are increasingly being used for human movement monitoring. Additionally, falls are one of the leading causes of both fatal and nonfatal injuries in the workplace. The use of wearable technology in the workplace could be a successful solution for human movement monitoring and fall detection, especially for high fall-risk occupations. This paper provides an in-depth review of different wearable stretch sensors and summarizes the need for wearable technology in the field of ergonomics and the current wearable devices used for fall detection. Additionally, the paper proposes the use of soft-robotic-stretch (SRS) sensors for human movement monitoring and fall detection. This paper also recapitulates the findings of a series of five published manuscripts from ongoing research that are published as Parts I to V of “Closing the Wearable Gap” journal articles that discuss the design and development of a foot and ankle wearable device using SRS sensors that can be used for fall detection. The use of SRS sensors in fall detection, its current limitations, and challenges for adoption in human factors and ergonomics are also discussed.