JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Wheelchair positioning systems achieve significant results in preventing postural deficits and pressure injuries. Still, more effective professional monitoring is needed to assess positioning according to each user's specificities and clinical conditions.

Objective:

We present concepts of an architecture, based on the Internet of Things, of an electronic system embedded in a motorized wheelchair, for automated positions, as part of a study on a wheelchair and telemonitoring.

Methods:

Mixed method with user-centered design approach, interview with 16 wheelchair users and 66 professionals for the development of system functions and formative assessment of five participants with descriptive analysis to design the system concepts.

Results:

user-centered development favors the development of a technology with specific functions of real user demands. The use of Inertial Measurement Unit sensors in an Internet of Things solution was essential to provide alternatives to carry out the feedback real use of the tilt and recline functions in the wheelchair, autonomously and programmable via a smartphone application, as well as a need raised by real users.

Conclusions:

The technologies used in this presented system are concepts that can bring greater benefits to telemonitoring and favor a real feedback for the professional, allowing greater quality in the provision of health services for wheelchair users. We emphasize the importance of future studies on the correlation between different diagnoses and the use of the system in a real environment to help professionals in the prevention of pressure injuries treatment.