Games console used to identify illnesses in older people

Source : Press Association
Published on 08 September 2011 12:00 PM

A games console has been found to be able to detect early signs of illness in older people.

Computer and electrical engineers in the US have been using a Microsoft Kinect to monitor changes in patients' behaviour and routine at a residential home for older people. The changes recorded are then used to calculate the risk of falls or to pinpoint the onset of disease.

Doctoral student Erik Stone, who is working on the research with Professor Marjorie Skubic at the engineering department of Missouri University, said: 'The console uses infrared light to create a depth image that produces data in the form of a silhouette, instead of a video or photograph.

'This alleviates many seniors' concerns about privacy when traditional web camera-based monitoring systems are used.'

In the university's school of medicine, in collaboration with the engineers, other research is looking into the early detection of falls in older people.

Lian Lui, also a doctoral student, is working with the health management and informatics department on a fall-detection system using Doppler radar to identify indicators of heightened risk of falls, such as changes in walking, bending or other physical movements.

via ageuk.org.uk