IoT Helps Stroke Patients

US scientists are developing wearable sensors to help stroke patients recover faster.

18:33 26 February 2018

Scientists from the US are currently developing wearable sensors that can help improve the quality of care provided to stroke patients. The details of the study were released at the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Texas.

 

The wearable sensors, which look like small white sticking plasters, are currently being tested on patients. One of those testing them is Dr Lizzy McAninch, who suffered from a stroke two years ago.

 

She said: "This technology to put sensors on the body to assess which muscle groups work or not can really pinpoint the areas affected by the stroke and can target therapies to specifically improve those issues,"

 

Her therapist Kristen Hohl, from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, said that the sensor can help her effectively monitor Lizzy’s progress at home.

 

"As a therapist, I think about what my patients are doing at home. Are they able to carry through the recommendations I'm giving them as a therapist to do more? Do we see that they are walking more or do we see them engaging in conversations?

 

"Those are the types of things that I can get feedback from the sensors where currently I have to rely on what they tell me they have done."