An Innovative IoT and Edge Intelligence Framework for Monitoring Elderly People Using Anomaly Detection on Data from Non-Wearable Sensors

The aging global population requires innovative remote monitoring systems to assist doctors and caregivers in assessing the health of elderly patients. Doctors often lack access to continuous behavioral data, making it difficult to detect deviations from normal patterns when elderly patients arrive for a consultation. Without historical insights into common behaviors and potential anomalies detected with unobtrusive techniques (e.g., non-wearable devices), timely and informed medical interventions become challenging. To address this, we propose an edge-based Internet of Things (IoT) framework that enables real-time monitoring and anomaly detection using non-wearable sensors to assist doctors and caregivers in assessing the health of elderly patients. By processing data locally, the system minimizes privacy concerns and ensures immediate data availability, allowing healthcare professionals to detect unusual behavioral patterns early. The system employs advanced machine learning (ML) models to identify deviations that may indicate potential health risks. A prototype of our system has been developed to test its feasibility and demonstrate, through the application of two of the most frequently used ML models, i.e., isolation forest and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, that it can provide scalability, efficiency, and reliability in the context of elderly care. Further, the provided dashboard enables caregivers and healthcare professionals to access real-time alerts and longitudinal trends, facilitating proactive interventions. The proposed approach improves healthcare responsiveness by providing instant insights into patient behavior, facilitating more accurate diagnoses and interventions. This study lays the groundwork for future advancements in the field and offers valuable insights for the research community to harness the full potential of combining edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and the IoT in elderly care.