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Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations
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Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Wearables".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 11693

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hsin-Yi Kathy Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Institute of Early Intervention, Chang Gung University, No. 259, Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan
Interests: biomechanics; rehabilitation; posture; physiotherapy; musculoskeletal disorders; motion analysis; exercise; electromyography; hip; sports injuries

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Special populations have received less attention because they are not mainstream, so the detection and related research on their motor performance are relatively lacking. The special populations here referred to include not only the elderly, children, women, ethnic minorities, etc., but also individuals with health problems or medical needs, such as Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, developmental coordination disorder, rare diseases, cancer, and more. With the advancement of technology, many types of sensors and different detection techniques have been developed. These sensors are lighter, transmit wirelessly, can be used on specific body parts, and can be paired with more precise signal processing algorithms.

This Special Issue is addressed to all kinds of sensors or sensing technologies that are currently being used for monitoring movement in these special populations. Data collected from various types of sensing devices including wearable, embedded or optical sensors, video-based sensing, virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR), and human–computer interface are also welcome. Both review articles and original research papers relating to the topic are solicited.

Dr. Hsin-Yi Kathy Cheng
Guest Editor

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. Sensors 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 2600 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

  • elderly
  • children
  • women
  • developmental disabilities
  • intellectual disability
  • physical disability
  • movement disorder
  • sensory disability
  • rare disease
  • populations with special healthcare needs
  • movement analysis
  • screening
  • kinetics
  • kinematics
  • biomechanics
  • sensing devices
  • assistive technology

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 813 KiB  
Article
Uncovering Subtle Gait Deterioration in People with Early-Stage Multiple Sclerosis Using Inertial Sensors: A 2-Year Multicenter Longitudinal Study
by Elisa Gervasoni, Denise Anastasi, Rachele Di Giovanni, Claudio Solaro, Marco Rovaris, Giampaolo Brichetto, Paolo Confalonieri, Andrea Tacchino, Ilaria Carpinella and Davide Cattaneo
Sensors 2023, 23(22), 9249; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23229249 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1194
Abstract
Limited longitudinal studies have been conducted on gait impairment progression overtime in non-disabled people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Therefore, a deeper understanding of gait changes with the progression of the disease is essential. The objective of the present study was to describe changes [...] Read more.
Limited longitudinal studies have been conducted on gait impairment progression overtime in non-disabled people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Therefore, a deeper understanding of gait changes with the progression of the disease is essential. The objective of the present study was to describe changes in gait quality in PwMS with a disease duration ≤ 5 years, and to verify whether a change in gait quality is associated with a change in disability and perception of gait deterioration. We conducted a multicenter prospective cohort study. Fifty-six subjects were assessed at baseline (age: 38.2 ± 10.7 years, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): 1.5 ± 0.7 points) and after 2 years, participants performed the six-minute walk test (6MWT) wearing inertial sensors. Quality of gait (regularity, symmetry, and instability), disability (EDSS), and walking perception (multiple sclerosis walking scale-12, MSWS-12) were collected. We found no differences on EDSS, 6MWT, and MSWS-12 between baseline and follow-up. A statistically significant correlation between increased EDSS scores and increased gait instability was found in the antero-posterior (AP) direction (r = 0.34, p = 0.01). Seventeen subjects (30%) deteriorated (increase of at least 0.5 point at EDSS) over 2 years. A multivariate analysis on deteriorated PwMS showed that changes in gait instability medio-lateral (ML) and stride regularity, and changes in ML gait symmetry were significantly associated with changes in EDSS (F = 7.80 (3,13), p = 0.003, R2 = 0.56). Moreover, gait changes were associated with a decrease in PwMS perception on stability (p < 0.05). Instrumented assessment can detect subtle changes in gait stability, regularity, and symmetry not revealed during EDSS neurological assessment. Moreover, instrumented changes in gait quality impact on subjects’ perception of gait during activities of daily living. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations)
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16 pages, 12150 KiB  
Article
Real-Life Wheelchair Mobility Metrics from IMUs
by Wiebe H. K. de Vries, Rienk M. A. van der Slikke, Marit P. van Dijk and Ursina Arnet
Sensors 2023, 23(16), 7174; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23167174 - 14 Aug 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2304
Abstract
Daily wheelchair ambulation is seen as a risk factor for shoulder problems, which are prevalent in manual wheelchair users. To examine the long-term effect of shoulder load from daily wheelchair ambulation on shoulder problems, quantification is required in real-life settings. In this study, [...] Read more.
Daily wheelchair ambulation is seen as a risk factor for shoulder problems, which are prevalent in manual wheelchair users. To examine the long-term effect of shoulder load from daily wheelchair ambulation on shoulder problems, quantification is required in real-life settings. In this study, we describe and validate a comprehensive and unobtrusive methodology to derive clinically relevant wheelchair mobility metrics (WCMMs) from inertial measurement systems (IMUs) placed on the wheelchair frame and wheel in real-life settings. The set of WCMMs includes distance covered by the wheelchair, linear velocity of the wheelchair, number and duration of pushes, number and magnitude of turns and inclination of the wheelchair when on a slope. Data are collected from ten able-bodied participants, trained in wheelchair-related activities, who followed a 40 min course over the campus. The IMU-derived WCMMs are validated against accepted reference methods such as Smartwheel and video analysis. Intraclass correlation (ICC) is applied to test the reliability of the IMU method. IMU-derived push duration appeared to be less comparable with Smartwheel estimates, as it measures the effect of all energy applied to the wheelchair (including thorax and upper extremity movements), whereas the Smartwheel only measures forces and torques applied by the hand at the rim. All other WCMMs can be reliably estimated from real-life IMU data, with small errors and high ICCs, which opens the way to further examine real-life behavior in wheelchair ambulation with respect to shoulder loading. Moreover, WCMMs can be applied to other applications, including health tracking for individual interest or in therapy settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations)
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16 pages, 2657 KiB  
Article
Multi-Sensor Respiratory–Swallow Telecare System for Safe Feeding in Different Trunk Inclinations: System Development and Clinical Application
by Wann-Yun Shieh, Chin-Man Wang, Yan-Ying Ju and Hsin-Yi Kathy Cheng
Sensors 2023, 23(2), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23020642 - 6 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1821
Abstract
Proper positioning is especially important to ensure feeding and eating safely. With many nursing facilities restricting visitations and close contact during the coronavirus pandemic, there is an urgent need for remote respiratory–swallow monitoring. This study aimed to develop a semiautomatic feeding telecare system [...] Read more.
Proper positioning is especially important to ensure feeding and eating safely. With many nursing facilities restricting visitations and close contact during the coronavirus pandemic, there is an urgent need for remote respiratory–swallow monitoring. This study aimed to develop a semiautomatic feeding telecare system that provides instant feedback and warnings on-site and remotely. It also aimed to analyze the effects of trunk positions on respiratory–swallow coordination. A signal collector with multiple integrated sensors for real-time respiratory–swallow monitoring and warning was developed. A repeated measures design was implemented to evaluate the effects of trunk inclination angles on the swallow-related functions. Significant differences in inclination angles were discovered for swallowing apnea (p = 0.045) and total excursion time of thyroid cartilage (p = 0.037), and pairwise comparisons indicated that these differences were mostly present at 5° to 45°. Alerts were triggered successfully when undesired respiratory patterns or piecemeal occurred. The results indicated that a care recipient can swallow more easily when sitting upright (5°) than when leaning backward (45°). This telecare system provides on-site and remote respiratory–swallow monitoring and alerting for residents in care facilities and can serve as a pipeline for the early screening of swallowing dysfunction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations)
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15 pages, 2146 KiB  
Article
Video-Based Behaviorally Coded Movement Assessment for Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities: Application in Leg Dribbling Performance
by Hsin-Yi Kathy Cheng, Wann-Yun Shieh, Yu-Chun Yu, Pao-Wen Li and Yan-Ying Ju
Sensors 2023, 23(1), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010179 - 24 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1608
Abstract
Measuring motor performance in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) is quite challenging. The objective of this study was to compare the motor performances of individuals with ID and those with typical development (TD) during soccer dribbling through video-based behavior-coded movement assessment along with [...] Read more.
Measuring motor performance in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) is quite challenging. The objective of this study was to compare the motor performances of individuals with ID and those with typical development (TD) during soccer dribbling through video-based behavior-coded movement assessment along with a wearable sensor. A cross-sectional research design was adopted. Adolescents with TD (N = 25) and ID (N = 29) participated in the straight-line and zigzag soccer dribbling tests. The dribbling performance was videotaped, and the footage was then analyzed with customized behavior-coding software. The coded parameters were the time for movement completion, the number of kicks, blocks, steps, the number of times the ball went out of bounds, the number of missed cones, and the trunk tilt angle. Participants with ID exhibited significantly poorer performance and demonstrated greater variances in many time and frequency domain parameters. It also revealed that participants with ID kicked with both feet while dribbling, whereas those with TD mainly used the dominant foot. The present findings demonstrated how the ID population differed from their peers in lower-extremity strategic control. The customized video-based behavior-coded approach provides an efficient and effective way to gather behavioral data and calculate performance parameter statistics in populations with intellectual disabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations)
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10 pages, 2556 KiB  
Article
Sensory Interaction and Balancing Ability Evaluation of the Elderly Using a Simplified Force Plate System
by Jeong-Woo Seo, Joong Il Kim, Taehong Kim, Kyoung-Mi Jang, Youngjae Jeong and Jun-Hyeong Do
Sensors 2022, 22(22), 8883; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22228883 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2104
Abstract
The Wii balance board (WBB) is a simplified force plate system used to evaluate the balancing ability of the elderly via a sensory interaction task to confirm a significant standing balance index. The accuracy of this system has been verified in previous studies. [...] Read more.
The Wii balance board (WBB) is a simplified force plate system used to evaluate the balancing ability of the elderly via a sensory interaction task to confirm a significant standing balance index. The accuracy of this system has been verified in previous studies. In this study, an instrumented and modified clinical test of sensory interaction on balance (i-mCTSIB) was performed on 84 elderly subjects, and the variables for center of pressure (CoP) were calculated using WBB for each task condition. The results indicate that the visual condition has a significant effect on the sway proprioceptive sensory variables with a foam condition as their complexity increases. In addition, the correlation between the variable and Berg Balance Scale was not confirmed since CTSIB is a sensory interaction on balance ability. Therefore, WBB can be used to evaluate balancing ability based on sensory interactions consisting of the surface condition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations)
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15 pages, 2593 KiB  
Article
The Associations between Evacuation Movements and Children’s Physiological Demands Analyzed via Wearable-Based Sensors
by Bo Zhang, Xiaoyu Gao, Jiaxu Zhou and Xiaohu Jia
Sensors 2022, 22(21), 8094; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22218094 - 22 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
During fire evacuations, crawling is recommended to prevent harm from toxic smoke and to access more breathable air. Few studies have evaluated the physiological burden of crawling, especially for children. The method of using wearable sensors to collect data (e.g., electrodermal activity, EDA; [...] Read more.
During fire evacuations, crawling is recommended to prevent harm from toxic smoke and to access more breathable air. Few studies have evaluated the physiological burden of crawling, especially for children. The method of using wearable sensors to collect data (e.g., electrodermal activity, EDA; skin temperature, SKT) was used to evaluate the effects of different locomotive postures on children’s velocity and physiological demands. Twenty-eight (28) children (13 boys and 15 girls), aged 4 to 6 years old, traveled up to 22.0 m in different postures: Upright walking (UW), stoop walking (SW), knee and hand crawling (KHC). The results showed that: (1) Gender and age had significant impacts on children’s velocity (p < 0.05): Boys were always faster than girls in any of the three postures and the older the child, the faster the velocity for KHC. (2) Physiological results demonstrated that KHC was more physically demanding than bipedal walking, represented by higher scores of the EDA and SKT indicators, similar to the findings of adults. (3) Gender and age had significant impacts on children’s physiological demands (p < 0.05). The physiological demands were greater for boys than girls. In addition, the higher the age, the less physiological demands he/she needs. Overall, the findings suggest that children are unnecessarily required to choose crawling precisely as adults as the best posture to respond to emergency scenarios. In a severe fire, stoop walking is suggested, as there is more respired air and children could move quickly and avoid overworking physiological burdens. The results of this study are expected to be considered in the evaluation of current evacuation recommendations and for the safety guide of preparedness to improve the effectiveness of risk reduction for children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensor-Based Technology for Monitoring Movement in Special Populations)
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