Sensors for
Eldercare
Projects:
1. The first project from this group is a water use sensor. Change in hygiene habits can be an important sign of a change in mental health in elders. Water use is one way to monitor hygiene patterns.
2. The second project is the development of a more robust communications network for the sensor networks being used by the eldercare group. As the people using the sensor networks increase, so do the demands on the network. From making sure that new sensors can easily be added to the network, to making sure there are enough addresses to uniquely identify each sensor, there are a number of challenges facing the network at this time. The new network will be designed to work in any environment including apartments, hospitals, and private homes.
3. Bed sensor development. The bed sensors presently being used have become uncomfortable and need to be replaced with devices that are softer but still do the job.
Mizzou.eduMizzou.edu
9/3/2008: Successful completion of an unobtrusive water sensor completed and poised for use. Just waiting for the go ahead from the eldercare group.
10/18/2008: Hardware for sensor network wireless network being designed and should be ready for testing this semester.
10/18/2008: Bed sensors should be ready in the next week or so.
With the completion of the water sensor and the layout of new wireless hardware handed off to a grad student working for the eldercare group, this project is now entirely concentrating on the eldercare monitoring system: Short Range Indoor Radar Monitoring for Extending Independent Living