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Advanced Technologies for Health Improvement
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Advanced Technologies for Health Improvement

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 6382

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Joana Santos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Environmental Health Department, School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
2. Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology (TBIO), Health Research Network (RISE-Health), School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: human factors and ergonomics; environmental and occupational health and safety; impact of digitalization and emerging technologies on health; fatigue and burnout
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mário Augusto Pires Vaz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Porto Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
2. Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: 3D reconstruction; computer vision; image processing; musculoskeletal disorders; mechanics; ergonomics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Technology has advanced rapidly over the past few decades, mostly due to the development of information technology (IT). Multiple intelligent devices such as wearable sensors, fitness trackers, heart rate monitors, sleep monitors, and smartphone apps have been designed to monitor people's health status. In the case of industries, the contribution of technology to health is related to the protection of workers against risks and to improvements in work practices, communications about occupational exposure, and medical assistance in the case of accidents.

Thus, in this Special Issue on “Advanced Technologies for Health Improvement”, we are seeking articles (original research, reviews, and study protocols) indicating new trends, innovation, and novel approaches related to the following topics:

  • Advanced technologies available to improve healthcare performance.
  • New and developing medical devices.
  • User-oriented issues in healthcare and medical device design.
  • Technological solutions to monitor workers’ health and safety.
  • Suitable wearable technology for ergonomic assessments.
  • Ergonomic design and usability of wearable devices.
  • Trust and acceptance of new technologies.

Prof. Dr. Joana Santos
Dr. Mário Augusto Pires Vaz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • technology
  • health
  • wearables
  • medical devices
  • real-time measurement
  • safety
  • ergonomics
  • user experience
  • usability

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 4325 KiB  
Article
Bioimpedance Spectra Confirm Breast Cancer Cell Secretome Induces Early Changes in the Cytoskeleton and Migration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
by Ana Laura Sánchez-Corrales, César Antonio González-Díaz, Claudia Camelia Calzada-Mendoza, Jesús Arrieta-Valencia, María Elena Sánchez-Mendoza, Juan Luis Amaya-Espinoza and Gisela Gutiérrez-Iglesias
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(1), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15010358 - 2 Jan 2025
Viewed by 460
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatments take advantage of the ability of these cells to migrate to target sites, although they have been shown to move in response to tumor influence. Currently, tools are being developed to detect these opportune changes in cellular behavior [...] Read more.
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatments take advantage of the ability of these cells to migrate to target sites, although they have been shown to move in response to tumor influence. Currently, tools are being developed to detect these opportune changes in cellular behavior patterns. No reports of such changes in the morphological patterns or migration of MSCs in the presence of a tumor environment, which would provide information of high diagnostic value, have been made. We determined the changes in the cytoskeleton and migration of MSCs exposed to the secretome of breast tumor cells via bioimpedance records. MSCs were cultured and incubated in the presence of 24 and 48 h secretomes of the MCF-7 tumor cell line. The proliferation, migration, morphology, cytoskeleton, and electrical bioimpedance were evaluated at 48 h for cells treated with 24 and 48 h secretomes. Secretomes induced early morphological changes related to the migration of MSCs, directly confirmed via bioimpedance, but no changes in cell proliferation were found. These changes cannot be related to a transformation or malignancy phenotype. The modification of the bioimpedance patterns recorded from the first hours suggests that this method can be applied in an innovative way to detect early changes in a cellular population in the clinical diagnostic setting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Health Improvement)
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17 pages, 3707 KiB  
Article
Understanding the User Experience of Lumbar-Support-Assistive Devices in Lower-Back Pain Patients: Design Recommendations
by Zibin Chen, Meng Zhang, Xi Zhang, Chenyang Liu and Huize Wang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(17), 7495; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14177495 - 24 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1452
Abstract
A positive user experience is crucial for enhancing user adherence throughout the utilization of lumbar-support-assistive devices (LSAD). However, there is a lack of research for optimal user experience with LSAD in the existing literature. Therefore, this study aims to explore how patients with [...] Read more.
A positive user experience is crucial for enhancing user adherence throughout the utilization of lumbar-support-assistive devices (LSAD). However, there is a lack of research for optimal user experience with LSAD in the existing literature. Therefore, this study aims to explore how patients with lower-back pain use LSAD and assess their satisfaction and overall experience. Based on this, we aim to provide design improvement recommendations for LSAD to researchers in the relevant field. Through in-depth interviews with 14 LSAD users, key themes were identified using reflexive thematic analysis. The results indicate that participants were “somewhat satisfied” with the overall experience with their LSAD. The key factors influencing the LSAD-wearing experience were: (1) key design challenges in improving LSAD (stability, fit and, comfort), (2) providing necessary assistance (potential barriers and prompts), and (3) individualizing needs and balance of design (aesthetics, dimensions, safety, and cleanliness). All participants reported that poor stability, fit, and comfort of LSAD were the main reasons for an adverse experience. It is worth noting that users may encounter potential barriers when initially using LSAD. Furthermore, younger participants perceived pressure related to appearance and expressed concerns about the exposure of their health privacy during social interactions involving the LSAD. Based on these findings, we have proposed a set of comprehensive LSAD design-improvement recommendations, which serve as a foundational reference for future improvements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Health Improvement)
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19 pages, 9301 KiB  
Article
Exploring Digital Technologies for Addressing Risk Factors of Solitary Death in South Korea
by Jiwon Jun, Jieun Kim, SangYup Lee, Heangwoo Lee and Eunsoo Park
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(17), 7439; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14177439 - 23 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1011
Abstract
South Korea has experienced rapid aging, and it is predicted that people aged 65 years or older will account for 20% of the total population by 2047. The proportion of one-person households is also increasing rapidly at the same time, and is expected [...] Read more.
South Korea has experienced rapid aging, and it is predicted that people aged 65 years or older will account for 20% of the total population by 2047. The proportion of one-person households is also increasing rapidly at the same time, and is expected to account for 37% of the total number of households by 2047. Such a demographic shift has led to more isolated households and social isolation, and consequently, to higher risks of solitary deaths. Central and local governments have implemented various measures, such as care services for the elderly living alone and regular checks on their status; however, there are limitations due to workforce and budget constraints. Therefore, it is necessary to explore innovative solutions that utilize digital technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) as new low-cost, high-efficiency alternatives. Innovations in digital technology have the potential to suggest new solutions to the issue of solitary death. Advanced technologies can play an important role in maximizing the effectiveness of solitary death prevention, management, and the prevention of social isolation. Although there is a growing body of research on the development of digital technology-based care services for the elderly, these studies have primarily focused on the applicability and early implementation stages of specific technologies. These studies have limitations in fully understanding the market trends of technologies and competition patterns within the industry. Therefore, it is essential to investigate trends in the latest technologies and R&D directions in a particular technology field through patents filed to protect new technologies. This study is intended to contribute to an in-depth understanding of the current status and development direction of digital technologies for the prevention of solitary deaths, and to provide a basis for future technology development. This study also contributes to establishing government policies and R&D strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Health Improvement)
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18 pages, 1337 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Use of Smart Rings in Health Monitoring—A Meta-Analysis
by Matteo Fiore, Alessandro Bianconi, Gaia Sicari, Alice Conni, Jacopo Lenzi, Giulia Tomaiuolo, Flavia Zito, Davide Golinelli and Francesco Sanmarchi
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(23), 10778; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142310778 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 2533
Abstract
Smart Rings (SRs) are user-friendly devices capable of measuring various health parameters, making them suitable for remote continuous monitoring in diverse clinical settings. Since the available evidence on the accuracy of SRs recording health data is highly heterogeneous, this systematic review, conducted in [...] Read more.
Smart Rings (SRs) are user-friendly devices capable of measuring various health parameters, making them suitable for remote continuous monitoring in diverse clinical settings. Since the available evidence on the accuracy of SRs recording health data is highly heterogeneous, this systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, searched for articles evaluating the efficacy of SRs for sleep, respiratory, and cardiovascular monitoring across the PubMed, SCOPUS, and ProQuest databases. Meta-analyses were conducted for health outcomes evaluated in at least three studies with a comparable study population and design, and the same comparison device. Nineteen articles were included: eleven analyses focused on sleep quality, eight on cardiovascular parameters, and one on oxygen saturation. Studies analysing cardiovascular outcomes found a good accuracy of SRs in measuring heart rate (HR) with a mean bias of −0.4 bpms (limits of agreement (LoAs): −2.7; 1.8). The meta-analyses showed variability in SRs’ efficacy in monitoring total sleep time (mean bias: −21.3 min, LoAs: −69.9, 27.4) and REM duration (mean bias: −18.2 min, LoAs: −33.3, −3.1). The results highlighted the promising potential of SRs for HR monitoring. Further research is needed to clarify the reliability of SRs in monitoring sleep quality and their use directed to a broader range of health parameters. With further development, SRs could become valuable tools for healthcare professionals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Health Improvement)
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