Wireless Sensor Networks Based Healthcare

Dear Colleagues,

Technology-enabled solutions have gained recognition as an effective and efficient solution, as well as a sustainable support structure enabling healthcare, self-care, and remote care giving for independent, active, and healthy ageing. Much importance have been given by the academics for the home healthcare systems in the context of monitoring, manage and motivate behaviours that lead to better health outcomes. Currently, wide range of smart home research is being carried out in the entire world. The main objective is to develop technology, which will reduce the cost of healthcare in future and the sustainability of healthcare. The developed technology should provide a low-cost technologically assisted healthcare platform to improve the public health service. The key benefit by this approach is to ease the demand on the national healthcare service, yet being able to provide necessary care to the general public whenever demanded through real-time and non-invasive monitoring.

This Special Issue on wireless sensor networks based healthcare is looking forward to the submission of research outcomes of technology (combination of smart sensors, wireless sensor networks, computer programmes with adaptive learning ability) assisted intelligent integrated healthcare platform with the ability to predict, diagnose and monitor the wellness (health status) of the inhabitant in real time. The reported development will lead to the creation of a novel technology that could integrate, analyse, and interpret the collected data and through a robust decision-making process the health condition of the person is determined, thus allowing him/her to lead a safe, sound, secured, and an independent lifestyle.

The wireless sensor networks based intelligent integrated healthcare platform may consist of a few modules: (1) Appliances Tracking Unit, (2) Human Emotion Recognition unit, (3) Physiological Parameters Monitoring Unit, (4) Human Posture and Position Detection Unit, (5) Medicine Disposal Unit, (6) Power Management Unit, (7) Robust Supervisory control unit, and (8) Safety Box Unit and anything else which may deemed necessary. The wireless modules may be used as a stand-alone device or all the modules can be combined to work as a complete system through wireless sensor networks. Due to the advancement in wireless communications and semiconductor electronics over the past few decades, the development of low-cost, low-power, multi-functional sensors are receiving increasing attention. Wireless sensing technology is playing a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for the general public. Moreover, this will help to cut down the rising healthcare costs by effectively monitoring the health of the targeted people and thus preventing from abnormal cum complicated health condition.

There are many sensors that are readily available off-the-shelf, but making them “intelligent” in the context of a specific application (such as monitoring of the inhabitant) is extremely difficult. The way of implementation of wireless sensor networks drastically change from one application to other application, the need for in-depth study on performance parameters is vital. The Special Issue expects submissions of different novel technologies to address healthcare related issues and subsequent solutions.

Prof. Dr. Subhas Mukhopadhyay
Guest Editor

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