Sensors and analytics for wearable devices in research and clinical settings

Monday, October 9 from 3 to 4 pm

Byrne 208

2219 N. Kenmore Avenue

Mark V. Albert, PhD

Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Loyola University Chicago

Adjunct research scientist in the Center for Bionic Medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago),

Adjunct assistant professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Measuring the effect of therapies to improve mobility is a critical component to improving healthcare. Unfortunately, most measures require expensive and time-consuming clinical visits, additional equipment, or periodic interruptions throughout the day (e.g. journals and diaries). Fortunately, wearable devices, including mobile phones, are packed with an array of sensors that can be used to infer health and mobility throughout the day, with little to no additional cost or effort. In our lab, we use machine learning to automatically log the activities of our subjects throughout the day (e.g. walking, sitting, standing). I will identify the unique difficulties in doing so for patients with motor impairments. We can also measure qualities of those identified activities (e.g. tremor when holding the phone, cadence when walking). For elderly outpatient populations and people with prosthetic limbs, we will also discuss an accurate method of fall detection and classify the type of fall to aid in emergency response as well as future prevention. In addition to detailed logs of activities or events, we can distill days of data down to individual scores that our clinicians can use to quickly evaluate the mobility of patients. This approach allows us to continuously, conveniently, and objectively evaluate a large number of patients over an extended period of time with no intervention. The information can be invaluable to researchers and clinicians in improving the care of patients with impairments in mobility.

This seminar is part of the Physics Department Colloquia series. Refreshments will be served starting at 2:30.