Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Sep 21, 2018
Date Accepted: Feb 25, 2019
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Design and Implementation of a Novel System for Correcting Posture through the Use of a Wearable Necklace Sensor
ABSTRACT
Background:
To our knowledge, few studies have examined the use of wearable sensing devices to effectively integrate information communication technologies and apply them to health care issues (particularly those pertaining to posture correction).
Objective:
A novel system for posture correction involving the application of wearable sensing technology was developed in this study.
Methods:
The newly developed system consists of the combination of three subsystems, namely, a smart necklace, smart phone, and notebook computer. The gravitational acceleration data of a user is collected and analyzed by an MPU-6050 sensor housed in the smart necklace when the necklace is worn, with that data being used by the necklace to determine the user's upper body posture. When poor posture is detected by the necklace, the necklace sends the user’s smart phone a reminder to correct his or her posture; a mobile app that was also developed as part of the study allows the necklace to transmit such messages to the phone. The standard values (base values for posture assessment) of the necklace can also be set through the app, as can the timing of the aforementioned reminders and the activation of the posture image calibration function on the notebook computer. The notebook computer is enabled to use a depth camera to read the relevant data, to identify the skeletal structure and joint reference points of the user, and to compute calculations relating to those reference points, after which the computer then sends signals to the necklace to enable calibration of the necklace's standard values.
Results:
The system effectively enables a user to monitor and correct his or her own posture, which in turn will assist the user in preventing spine-related diseases and, consequently, living a more effective and healthy life.
Conclusions:
The proposed system makes it possible for: 1) the user to self-correct his or her posture without resorting to the use of heavy, thick, or stuffy corrective clothing; 2) the necklace's standard values to be quickly calibrated via the use of posture imaging; and 3) the need for complex wiring to be eliminated through the effective application of the Internet of Things, as well as by implementing wireless communication between the smart necklace, smart phone, and notebook computer.
Citation
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