A system for monitoring posture and physical activity using accelerometers

Advances in technology have made possible new and innovative methods of health care delivery. Home telecare, in which the patient's health is monitored remotely at home, is one such method. This paper discusses the use of a triaxial accelerometer within a home telecare system for monitoring physiological and functional parameters for daily living. A novel system is described for objectively and continuously monitoring movement, suitable for patients with chronic diseases including congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The key design criteria were ease of use by, and comfort for, the patient together with the provision of clinically relevant information. The patient's posture, energy expenditure and movement are clinically important parameters that can be measured by accelerometry. A data processing scheme in which these parameters are extracted is described.