Measuring and promoting physical activity has become an increasingly important objective for both researchers and health care professionals worldwide. It is generally known that exercise is beneficial for health and in reducing the risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, many adults do not reach the current physical activity guidelines (150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week). Moreover, we sit too much. In the car/bus on the way to work, at work behind our desk and at home in front of the television or computer. Inactivity, especially excessive sitting, is a major implicator of metabolic diseases and has been branded the “new smoking” for its supposed health risks.
Accelerometry sensors can be used to measure and characterize the human activity profiles. The MOX is a medical grade, wearable accelerometer that has been validated for the measurement of various physical activity parameters. It can measure physical activity intensity and accurately distinguish sedentary behavior (lying, sitting), standing and dynamic physical activity. Potential applications include:
- Monitoring physical activity in medical applications such as rehabilitation or physical therapy
- Promoting physical activity through eHealth apps with a medical activity tracker
- Fall and fall risk detection in wearable sensors
Within the ENSO project, Maastricht Instruments is developing the next version of its medical patch for physical activity monitoring and accelerometry measurements. The ENSO technologies enable the company to achieve the following advantages:
- Improved user comfort due to a thinner physical activity monitor design
- Increased patient safety for the critical components applied in the medical certified accelerometry sensors
- No more connectors due to wireless charging
- Mechanical flexibility of the end product as the medical patch contains a flexible battery solution
At the IDTechX conference in Berlin, Igor Bimbaud, New Energies BU Director at ST Microelectronics, highlighted the design challenges that have been overcome in the design of this wearable patch for medical applications. Working together with the system designers from Maastricht Instruments, ST Microelectronics has been able to provide a fully customized battery, power management and energy harvesting solution for this new medical patch. Maastricht Instruments is currently marketing the products to research and medical professionals via the product platform www.accelerometry.eu and offers the technology as a White label / OEM physical activity sensor to companies worldwide.
For more information: f.boesten@accelerometry.eu or phone +31 43 388 1442