Smart Belt Research Articles

Smart Safety Belt

This project is all about creating a special Belt designed to enhance Smart's safety. In today's world, Smart Women often feel vulnerable and concerned about their well-being, especially when they are out alone or in unfamiliar surroundings. To address this issue, we have developed a smart Belt equipped with features like GPS, a distress signal, a camera. All these components are controlled by a small computer called ESP 32. The primary goal of this project is to make Women feel safer and more in control of their personal security. If a woman ever finds herself in an unsafe situation, she can use the Belt to send her location to the police, her family, or trusted contacts. The Belt also includes a notification to alert people. In case of a physical threat, the Belt can capture an image of the person for possible identification. Our project demonstrates that this innovative Belt can provide a practical and reliable solution for Smart's safety concerns. We envision a future where such technology can be further expanded to safeguard other vulnerable groups and individuals, making the world a safer place for everyone. Key Words: Smart's Safety, Smart Belt, GPS Technology, Distress Signal, Personal Security, ESP 32 Control

Developing a Smart Belt for Monitoring Elderly Activities Based on Multi-Modal Sensors Integration and Internet of Things

Developing a Smart Belt for Monitoring Elderly Activities Based on Multi-Modal Sensors Integration and Internet of Things

SPLIGN: Smart-belt Posture Monitoring System Based on AI-algorithms for Sitting Persons

The back pain is the main common health problems on this decade because of the sitting for a long time tilted on the computer for working, studying or playing. The back problems are widely spread for different ages from young to old people. Last medical research demonstrates that sitting with the posture align can prevent and remedy many spine problems. In this paper, we propose ’SPLIGN’ which a posture monitoring system designed to help maintaining the good posture during sitting. The SPLIGN is a smart belt equipped with inertial sensors. A mobile and web applications are developed for monitoring and remind the user to correct posture. The proposed system is based on a detailed study of the machine learning algorithms in order to choose the best accurate algorithm for posture prediction. The main studied algorithms are Convolutional neural network (CNN), The K-nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support-vector machines (SVM), Decision tree classification, Random forest, Naive Bayes Classifier and Boosting algorithm. The test results demonstrate that The Random Forest algorithm has the best accuracy 99.67% compared to the other algorithms with appropriate processing time 67.7 ms for real time posture monitoring system.

MITIGATION OF MAJOR HIP INJURY FROM FALLS: EARLY RESEARCH RESULTS WITH SMART BELT STUDY

Abstract Hip fractures sustained from falling are a devastating outcome for over 300,000 older adults every year in the US. The recovery from this major injury is extremally costly to the healthcare system and results in reduced mobility, increased dependency and up to 30% higher morbidity within 12 months of fracture. Avoidance of falls and injuries from falls is embedded into the standard of care for older adult providers though these standardized measures have not reduced the rate of death from falls as shown in recent studies. The study, Mitigation of Major Hip Injury due to fall in an At-Risk, Older Adult Population with a Wearable Smart Belt, seeks to compare the safety and efficacy of a wearable smartbelt to be worn around the waist of high risk older adults in order to mitigate major hip injuries related to falls through built-in sensors and the deployment of anatomically situated airbags around the hips during the hip impacting fall. The design of the study includes multiple older adult settings where subjects who are identified as being at high risk of fragility fracture and falls wear the study device for 6 months. Comparison of falls with major hip injury, emergency room visits and hospitalizations from falls and hip fractures from falls will be compared to a retrospective control group matched with the same inclusion/exclusion criteria. The poster will share the subject criteria and data gathered into November 2023. This study is listed on clinicaltrials.gov NCT#05245097

A Triboelectric Sensor with Double Bubble Structure Applied in a High Security Double Lock System.

With more attention on personal privacy and the need for a security defense, it is necessary to design an intelligent lock system with a higher security performance. Here, a novel high security double lock system integrating triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) with a double bubble structure (DB-TENG) and deep learning models is proposed. The TENG as a self-powered sensor is developed using silicone rubber and copper foil. By optimizing the thickness of the top layer film, surface microstructure, the size of the air bubble, and design of the double bubble structure, the sensitivity of the DB-TENG reaches 19.08 V/kPa. For the feasibility study, the sensor is fabricated to a smart belt to collect respiratory behaviors as a respiratory code. A Long Short-Term Memory network is adopted to identify four typical respiratory signals with an average accuracy of 97.00%. The system is deployed on a Raspberry Pi to determine whether the user is permitted through both the collected respiratory code and the related face image and will send an alarm message if one of the two does not match. It is worth mentioning that users can send alarm signals undiscovered by controlling their respiratory signals. Therefore, the proposed system has superb potential in security demanding environments.

The Use of Wearable Monitoring Devices in Sports Sciences in COVID Years (2020–2022): A Systematic Review

Purpose: Given the growth in the use of wearable measuring technology, this study aimed to investigate the frequency of writing about wearable monitoring devices in the field of sports sciences and sports-related health professions during the years affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 to 2022). The goal was to observe the number of studies right before the quarantine and during the first years of pandemic. Methodology: A systematic literature analysis was performed in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS CC) and Scopus databases in March 2023. The filters used in the search were the following: original scientific papers in the English language and open access. The research field was sports sciences in the past three years (2020–2022) in the Wos CC, and health professions and medicine in Scopus. Results: The initial search resulted in 54 studies in the WoS, 16 of which were included in a detailed qualitative analysis, and 297 studies in Scopus with 19 of them analyzed (35 altogether). The keywords used were “fitness watch” (sport watch, smartwatch), “smart shoes”, “smart clothing”, “smart ring”, “smart belt”, and “smart glasses”. In the past three years, there has been a steady increase in the number of studies using smart monitoring devices to measure their data (nine in 2020, nine in 2021, and seventeen in 2022). Results showed that the most used device is a smartwatch, while the most carried out studies were about physical activity and daily activities of living. Furthermore, there are more studies about measuring devices being used as testing equipment than about device performance in general. Conclusions: This study summarizes various research conducted in the field of sports with the use of wearable measuring devices to determine the frequency of use of such devices in sport studies.

Heart rate estimation from ballistocardiogram signals processing via low-cost telemedicine architectures: a comparative performance evaluation.

Medical devices (MDs) have been designed for monitoring the parameters of patients in many sectors. Nonetheless, despite being high-performing and reliable, they often turn out to be expensive and intrusive. In addition, MDs are almost exclusively used in controlled, hospital-based environments. Paving a path of technological innovation in the clinical field, a very active line of research is currently dealing with the possibility to rely on non-medical-graded low-cost devices, to develop unattended telemedicine (TM) solutions aimed at non-invasively gathering data, signals, and images. In this article, a TM solution is proposed for monitoring the heart rate (HR) of patients during sleep. A remote patient monitoring system (RPMS) featuring a smart belt equipped with pressure sensors for ballistocardiogram (BCG) signals sampling was deployed. A field trial was then conducted over a 2-month period on 24 volunteers, who also agreed to wear a finger pulse oximeter capable of producing a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal as the gold standard, to examine the feasibility of the solution via the estimation of HR values from the collected BCG signals. For this purpose, two of the highest-performing approaches for HR estimation from BCG signals, one algorithmic and the other based on a convolutional neural network (CNN), were retrieved from the literature and updated for a TM-related use case. Finally, HR estimation performances were assessed in terms of patient-wise mean absolute error (MAE). Results retrieved from the literature (controlled environment) outperformed those achieved in the experimentation (TM environment) by 29% (MAE = 4.24 vs. 5.46, algorithmic approach) and 52% (MAE = 2.32 vs. 3.54, CNN-based approach), respectively. Nonetheless, a low packet loss ratio, restrained elaboration time of the collected biomedical big data, low-cost deployment, and positive feedback from the users, demonstrate the robustness, reliability, and applicability of the proposed TM solution. In light of this, further steps will be planned to fulfill new targets, such as evaluation of respiratory rate (RR), and pattern assessment of the movement of the participants overnight.

Design and evaluation of two obstacle detection devices for visually impaired people

Smart devices can assist visually impaired individuals with self-guidance and safe mobility. This study presents two remarkable electronic devices, a smart belt and smart stick, that were designed and developed for obstacle detection in the path of visually impaired using the assistive technology options. They were designed with affordability, portability, and ease of use without requiring an internet connection. In an experimental test conducted with blind participants, the two smart devices were compared to the traditional white cane in terms of accuracy (obstacle avoidance) and usability (ease of use). Participants were randomly assigned obstacles and navigated the same path to test all tools. Based on the test and among evaluation, it was determined that the smart stick was the most user-friendly tool while the smart belt was found to be more accurate, and the two smart devices are a step forward in enhancing the mobility for visual impairments.

Review Paper on Smart Guidance Belt For Blinds

Abstract: This project seeks to create a simplified version of a smart wearable belt that can assist blind people with navigation, using a sensible and compact design for the electronic equipment. The design includes an embedded system, and could potentially incorporate machine learning algorithms to detect potholes and other irregularities on the road. The goal is to develop a smart belt that can help blind people travel independently without the use of a cane. The Electronic Blind Mobility Aid is a technology that uses sensors put on a belt worn around the waist to allow blind persons to travel independently. This advanced technology can help many people with visual impairments to travel independently. Blind people often face obstacles that can make it difficult for them to travel alone, but a blind belt can extend their range of perception by serving as an obstacle detector. Visually impaired people often use their hearing to compensate for their reduced eyesight, and can recognize sound sources. This technology enables blind persons to travel independently and receive obstacle alerts via headphones and speakers using sensors installed on a belt that is worn around the waist. Blind people can utilise this approach every day to find potential hazards, roadblocks, and pathways. In the end, this technology will serve to increase the independence of blind individuals and give them more confidence when they travel. To notify users of potential dangers, the device has a buzzer that produces vibration signals and emits a warning sound. Both the sound frequency and the vibration frequency rise as the space between the elastic gloves and the barriers gets smaller. The design incorporates a buzzer and motor in addition to the capability to notify the proper person in case of an emergency.. The goal of this study is to provide a low-cost, effective means of helping blind individuals travel more easily, quickly, and confidently. This design provides a quick-response, cost-effective, and portable solution. This device can let blind persons traverse their environment more safely and confidently by employing sound and vibration cues to notify the user of impediments.

Vibration motor stimulation device in smart leggings that promotes motor performance in older people.

Globally, accelerated aging is taking place alongside increased life expectancy of the population. This poses a challenge to maintaining autonomy and independence as people age but preventing falls and disabilities. Currently, there are few specific technologies on the market that are focused on the rehabilitation and promotion of autonomy in older adults. This study presents the development of a prototype (Myoviber®) of a low-cost, wearable everyday garment, designed to stimulate the lower limbs by the application of focal muscle vibration and incorporating technical textile qualities. The presented approach is proactive and preventive, maintaining functionality for the elderly while integrating electronic technology into an everyday garment. For this, a comprehensive study was carried out that included the design of the leggings through anthropometric analyses, the development of vibration devices at a stable frequency located in the knee extensor muscle and a smart belt with wireless connection, and the optimization of the battery autonomy. The development of the prototype was carried out through the construction of a vibratory device, which was validated with biomechanical evaluations. The results show an increase in the functional capacity of the lower limbs, in relation to motor tasks such as postural balance and gait in older people.

A Novel Smart Belt for Anxiety Detection, Classification, and Reduction Using IIoMT on Students' Cardiac Signal and MSY.

The prevalence of anxiety among university students is increasing, resulting in the negative impact on their academic and social (behavioral and emotional) development. In order for students to have competitive academic performance, the cognitive function should be strengthened by detecting and handling anxiety. Over a period of 6 weeks, this study examined how to detect anxiety and how Mano Shakti Yoga (MSY) helps reduce anxiety. Relying on cardiac signals, this study follows an integrated detection-estimation-reduction framework for anxiety using the Intelligent Internet of Medical Things (IIoMT) and MSY. IIoMT is the integration of Internet of Medical Things (wearable smart belt) and machine learning algorithms (Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), and AdaBoost (AB)). Sixty-six eligible students were selected as experiencing anxiety detected based on the results of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) questionnaire and a smart belt. Then, the students were divided randomly into two groups: experimental and control. The experimental group followed an MSY intervention for one hour twice a week, while the control group followed their own daily routine. Machine learning algorithms are used to analyze the data obtained from the smart belt. MSY is an alternative improvement for the immune system that helps reduce anxiety. All the results illustrate that the experimental group reduced anxiety with a significant (p < 0.05) difference in group × time interaction compared to the control group. The intelligent techniques achieved maximum accuracy of 80% on using RF algorithm. Thus, students can practice MSY and concentrate on their objectives by improving their intelligence, attention, and memory.

Investigation of fetal ECG signal using textile-based electrodes

Fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring is a technique that can be considered vital tool assisting midwife. This technique is useful in the early recognition of fetal heart defects, stillbirth and prevention of a risky conditions in clinics during pregnancy. The complications due to these threats are currently kept at bay by the extensive use of cardiotocography in clinics. However, cardiotocography suffers from drawbacks such as the need to replace transducer skillfully or the fact that the use of this method is only limited to mother to be staying in clinics. The aim of this article is to present the development of a belt composed of yarns containing different percentages of stainless-steel fibers as conductive yarns. The use of this belt in association with signal processing technique enables the real-time monitoring of FHR by the mother in absence of medical staff. Thus, not only preventing the occurrence of life threatening complexities but also significantly relieving the burden on the social welfare budget. It was concluded that a smart belt containing the highest percentage of stainless-steel fiber offers successful recording of fetal electrocardiogram.

Flexible Tri-Band Dual-Polarized MIMO Belt Strap Antenna Toward Wearable Applications in Intelligent Internet of Medical Things

This article proposes a novel concept of flexible dual-polarized multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) belt strap antenna with triple band. It can be integrated into the wearable biomedical network base station (WBNBS) of intelligent Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), setting up a communication link with smart mobile devices, thereby hosting wireless wearable sensors to track the vital signs of the human body. The proposed antenna includes three identical antenna units equidistantly distributed on the belt strap. Each unit is composed of two linearly polarized dipoles placed orthogonally. The goat horn-shaped outer loop and M-shaped inner loop produce the first and second bands, respectively, and their second harmonic jointly forms the third band. The arc-shaped coupled ring is connected with one dipole arm, which is conducive to tune impedance matching. The effects of belt strap bending and antenna radiation on the body are analyzed. Specific absorption rate (SAR) values are reduced by attaching the absorbing-shielding layer. As a proof of concept, the proposed antenna is fabricated for verification. Both measured and simulated results demonstrate the excellent performance with a realized gain of 2.2–3.1 dBi and radiation efficiency of 46.1%–80.1% in −10 dB impedance bandwidths of 2.37–2.7, 2.8–3.22, and 5.41–6.03 GHz. Finally, a smart belt prototype system is manufactured and tested. A link between wearable sensors and smartphones/computers is set up via WBNBS, where vital signs could be digitally displayed and monitored. It could provide a health risk alarm for a serious pandemic.

A PLC Solution for Minimizing Downtime from an Actual Belt Conveyer Problem Occurring on a Gold Mineral Production Line

One of the best methods for transporting materials from one place to another is a smart belt conveyer system a with Programable Logic Controller (PLC). Since a PLC helps belt conveyers avoid slipping, overloading, and malfunctioning during operation time, maintenance costs and downtime losses are reduced. In this work, the existing Ma’aden-Al Duwaihi belt conveyer system and the related issues have been examined. Then, the operations logic has been simulated and modified by adding programable logic controller-PLC. After that, the proposed solution has been implemented on laboratory prototype. Practically, one unit of the PLC should be added to the system. However, the conveyer system eventually becomes smarter. The main contribution of the presented work is updating the belt conveyer system, which previously has been only relay-dependent on a PLC’s fully automated materials handling system. Both system design and implementation are discussed herein. Investment in PLC implementation has proven to be beneficial over the long term. A PLC automates materials handling and sorting, significantly reduces downtime, and makes the implementation of a more advanced optimal algorithm possible.

Accuracy and Diversity of Wearable Device-Based Gait Speed Measurement Among Older Men: Observational Study.

BackgroundGait speed measurements are widely used in clinical practice, as slow gait is a major predictor of frailty and a diagnostic criterion for sarcopenia. With the development of wearable devices, it is possible to estimate the gait speed in daily life by simply wearing the device.ObjectiveThis study aims to accurately determine the characteristics of daily life gait speed and analyze their association with sarcopenia.MethodsWe invited community-dwelling men aged >50 years who had visited the outpatient clinic at a tertiary university hospital to participate in the study. Daily life gait speed was assessed using a wearable smart belt (WELT) for a period of 4 weeks. Data from participants who wore the smart belt for at least 10 days during this period were included. After 4 weeks, data from a survey about medical and social history, usual gait speed measurements, handgrip strength measurements, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were analyzed.ResultsA total of 217,578 daily life gait speed measurements from 106 participants (mean age 71.1, SD 7.6 years) were analyzed. The mean daily life gait speed was 1.23 (SD 0.26) m/s. The daily life gait speed of the participants varied according to the time of the day and day of the week. Daily life gait speed significantly slowed down with age (P<.001). Participants with sarcopenia had significantly lower mean daily life gait speed (mean 1.12, SD 0.11 m/s) than participants without sarcopenia (mean 1.23, SD 0.08 m/s; P<.001). Analysis of factors related to mean daily life gait speed showed that age and skeletal muscle mass of the lower limbs were significantly associated characteristics.ConclusionsMore diverse and accurate information about gait speed can be obtained by measuring daily life gait speed using a wearable device over an appropriate period, compared with one-time measurements performed in a laboratory setting. Importantly, in addition to age, daily life gait speed is significantly associated with skeletal muscle mass of the lower limbs.

A Real-time Posture Monitoring System Towards Bad Posture Detection

The neck and back pains are the most spread health problems of the century caused by remaining slouching for long hours on the smart phones, the tablets and the computers. Many medical researches prove that the monitoring and the improving of the seating posture can prevent the spinal pains. In this paper we propose a Real-time seating posture monitoring system. The system is composed of a smart belt equipped with inertial sensors. The sensors collect the posture information and send them to a cloud server via Wi-Fi connection. The cloud server processes the collected data, then, sends the result to mobile applications via Wi-Fi connection. The mobile applications allow the user to monitor his posture over time and receive in Real-time a sound and a visual notification in case of a bad posture detection. Two mobile applications Android and iOS are implemented that can be used for different mobile phone OS. In this work we will detail the design and the architecture of the proposed posture monitoring system and the implemented mobile applications. We will present the posture measurements of good and bad posture using the proposed posture monitoring system.

Wearable EBG-Backed Belt Antenna for Smart On-Body Applications

This article presents an innovative belt antenna with an electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) ground plane made of textile materials. The antenna can be applied in a smart belt system to set up a communication link with other electronic devices and/or host a variety of sensors to track human motions. The proposed belt antenna works at 2.45 GHz in the industrial, scientific, and medical radio band for Bluetooth low energy communications. Considering the effect the human body would have on the performance of a belt antenna, a textile ground plane is designed to be integrated into the trouser fabric behind the belt to provide isolation from the body and simultaneously improve antenna radiation characteristics. Through the application of the ground plane, the belt antenna achieves a maximum realized gain of 7.94 dBi and a minimum specific absorption rate of 0.04 W/kg at 0.5 W input power. During the design process, characteristic mode analysis is used to explore the underlining principle and further optimize the antenna performance. Two typical EBG structures are analyzed in detail for this application scenario. The suspended transmission line method is used to evaluate EBG performance variations when the textile ground plane is bent. A prototype of such a system is fabricated and tested. Experimental results shows that the belt antenna, together with the textile EBG ground plane, is an excellent candidate for a smart belt system with desirable radiation pattern, efficiency, and safety limit.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN GAIT SPEED MEASURED USING A WEARABLE DEVICE AND SARCOPENIA

As slow gait speed is a major feature of frailty and a diagnostic criterion of sarcopenia, gait speed measurement is widely used. Nowadays, with development of wearable devices, it is possible to measure daily-life gait speed without additional effort just by wearing the device. It is meaningful to measure daily-life gait speed and to analyze the association between the speed and sarcopenia. Participants were men over 50 years of age who visited the university hospital. Daily-life gait speed was checked using a smart belt (WELT) for 4 weeks. Afterwards, a survey about past medical history, usual gait speed measurement, handgrip strength measurement, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry were performed. A total of 217,548 daily-life gait speed measurement data were analyzed for 106 participants. The mean daily-life gait speed was 1.23 ± 0.26 m/s. The mean age was 71.1 ± 7.6, and daily-life gait speed was significantly slower as people get older. (P<0.001) Additionally, weekday gait speed (1.23 ± 0.26 m/s) was significantly faster than weekend gait speed (1.22 ± 0.26 m/s). (P<0.001) Participants with sarcopenia (1.15 ± 0.25 m/s) had significantly slower mean daily-life gait speed than normal subjects (1.23 ± 0.26 m/s). (P<0.001) In analyzing factors related to gait speed, age and skeletal muscle mass of lower limbs were significantly associated with mean daily-life gait speed. Additional information about the gait speed can be obtained by measuring daily-life gait speed, and the daily-life gait speed has a significant association with the skeletal muscle mass of lower limbs.

EVALUATION OF SMART BELT HIP PROTECTION IN A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY

Hip fractures impact > 300,000 US older adults yearly resulting in 70,000 deaths and are expected to gain in numbers with the rising population. Residents of skilled nursing facilities are among the highest at risk of sustaining hip fractures due to increased risk of falls and frailty. These most vulnerable stand to experience the most serious results of hip fracture with > 50% resulting in total dependency and/or death. Care providers are focused on providing an environment of safety with implementation of traditionally utilized fall prevention measures. Unfortunately, the maintenance of safety in this high-risk population often comes at the price of limiting independent mobility. The utilization of passive hip protector padding for those recognized as being at high risk of hip fracture can decrease the risk of hip fracture by 82%; however, challenges to adherence of hip protectors limit the effectiveness of this widely utilized measure. Emerging technology in the form of a smart belt was evaluated in a skilled nursing setting to offer insight into efficacy and user adherence. The smart belt is capable of sensing when the wearer is experiencing a motion that would likely result in a fall onto the hip, deploy an anatomically conforming airbag and alert caregivers that a fall has occurred. The embedding of the hip protection technology into care planning led to daily patient utilization totaling over 3000 hours. Specific findings of the user derived motion and experience will be articulated through case studies and illustration of the technology captured motion data.

A fiber Bragg grating-based smart wearable belt for monitoring knee joint postures

Smart wearable technology is exceedingly desirable in athletic sports due to being lightweight, flexible to bend, soft and comfortable. It can continuously deliver accurate information and deformation. During knee flexion, the upper knee perimeter increases with the shrinkage of the knee joint flexor, and it can be monitored. In this study, a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) smart belt is fabricated by embedding FBG sensors at the center of a special silica gel (with unique adhering characteristics to fix FBG on the surface of the belt) for sensing knee joint movements. Polyvinyl chloride strips were adhered to the surface of the smart wearable belt for better protection. The smart belt was calibrated in the laboratory by a systematical changing knee posture and used to identify body postures at various static and kinematic postures of a male subject. The FBG-based smart wearable belt presented a consistent wavelength change after each step by angle changes at the knee joint position. The wavelength increment of FBG sensors increases linearly with the increasing of the bend angle of the knee joint in static tests, and the related slope ratio was 0.3 nm/°. In a jogging test, the measurement sensitivity achieved by the FBG smart wearable belt was within a range between 0.018/° and 0.021 nm/° for the male subject at the velocities of 2 and 3 km/h, respectively. The smart wearable belt could be a useful index to characterize a simple design and ease of implementation, and could also applied for knee posture circumferential strain measurements, especially for sports activities and monitoring stroke patients. This FBG smart belt can be fabricated to produce smart sensing fabrics.