Evaluating the Applications of an Arduino-Yun Powered Sitting Monitoring System

Abstract

Prolonged sitting and poor sitting posture affect many people, especially in today's digital world. This poor posture and prolonged sedentary lifestyle can cause many health effects, such as back problems, impaired digestion, and even cardiovascular disease. The process of correcting poor sitting posture may be easier to accomplish with assistance, as it requires constant attention and correction to maintain proper posture. Thus, sitting posture monitoring systems may greatly benefit those who are looking to correct their sitting posture. Four pressure sensors were wired to Arduino Yun on a sitting chair, on the right and left of the seat and backrest, respectively.
 Furthermore, a computer algorithm and coding software were applied to monitor postural imbalances based on the inputs from the sensors. After a thorough calibration, a user tested the system in three weekly sessions consisting of pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment modes to examine the system's functionality for monitoring the sitting patterns of the user. Our system was able to detect poor sitting posture based on different positions of the user throughout the testing periods. It could differentiate the postural changes that occurred between the three treatment modes. Our monitoring system may serve as a tool to detect poor posture and facilitate the correction of any imbalances in the posture.