AALADIN: ambient assisted living assistive device for internet

Abstract

Accidents during elderly are one of the greatest geriatric syndromes due to the frequency with which they appear between patients. There are incidents that mark a milestone for acute and chronic deterioration in the health during old age. Among the instruments explored over time by the medical area in order to know the factors that lead to falls in elderly people, the Tinetti test is the most complete and validated measurement instrument. Tinetti is an observational scale that allows the evaluation by means of two sub-scales (i) the march (9 items) and (ii) the balance (13 items) in static position and when the patient is moving. Generally, this test is performed by specialized medical personnel (doctors or physiotherapists) and the acquisition of data used in each one of the items in this test is recorded manually. This paper presents the design and construction of an Assistive Technology Device, which supports medical personnel during the application of the balance sub-scale in the Tinetti test. This solution will consist of a carpet equipped with sensors that allows to know the position of the patient through heat maps and the body weight that is distributed in each area during the performance of the Tinetti test. In addition, it will allow the acquisition of data in a digital form, and since it is an object of the Internet of Things, it will allow the monitoring of the information coming from the test locally and remotely, as well as registering the information and making it available on the cloud. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020