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Review
. 2012 Mar;2(1):1-13.
doi: 10.1016/j.jegh.2011.11.005. Epub 2012 Jan 30.

Can pervasive sensing address current challenges in global healthcare?

Louis Atallah  1 , Benny Lo, Guang-Zhong Yang
Affiliations
Review

Can pervasive sensing address current challenges in global healthcare?

Louis Atallah et al. J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2012 Mar.

Abstract

Important challenges facing global healthcare include the increase in the number of people affected by escalating healthcare costs, chronic and infectious diseases, the need for better and more affordable elderly care and expanding urbanisation combined with air and water pollution. Recent advances in pervasive sensing technologies have led to miniaturised sensor networks that can be worn or integrated within the living environment without affecting a person's daily patterns. These sensors promise to change healthcare from snapshot measurements of physiological parameters to continuous monitoring enabling clinicians to provide guidance on a daily basis. This article surveys several of the solutions provided by these sensor platforms from elderly care to neonatal monitoring and environmental mapping. Some of the opportunities available and the challenges facing the adoption of such technologies in large-scale epidemiological studies are also discussed.

Keywords: Ageing; Chronic disease; Global healthcare; Pervasive sensing; Technology.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Examples of the evolution of computers over time from large computers to wearable and implantable devices.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Sensors that can be embedded in everyday surroundings: (a) the Sensewear armband; (b) ECG monitoring on a car seat; (c) a sensor-jacket for neonatal monitoring; (d) an ear worn activity recognition sensor; (e) the Nike+ipod shoe-based sensor for monitoring running; and (f) a sensor to observe wheelchair motion and paralympic athlete performance.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Several challenges facing global healthcare versus functionalities that could be provided by different sensing modalities.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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