Problem

As we continue to explore ways to limit the risk of healthcare workers experiencing low back injuries due to the use of dangerous postures and high hand loads while handling patients, a new version of the PostureCoach is being developed. Previous iterations of the device used two accelerometer-based sensors (Shimmer IMUs) and data processing smartphones to detect poor posture. This system created high amounts of crosstalk/noise between the devices causing lower than expected angle detection accuracy.

Goal

The new iteration switches out these IMUs for a high-accuracy potentiometer and microcontroller which are predicted to produce a more stable, accurate reading while remaining low-profile. The detection data can be read using an online portal connected to the microcontroller or saved to an SD card locally. Working similarly to the previous iteration, version 2 of the PostureCoach will be a wearable device that provides vibrotactile warning whenever poor postures are detected by the device. The device is currently in development and is planned to enter clinical trials by the end of September 2022. Click here to view our previous version of the PostureCoach.

Results

This study is currently ongoing and the results are not yet available.