Walking Assisted Wearable Device for the Elderly Supporting Internet of Things Protocols

• Main Authors: Shou-Shun Chen, 陳守舜
• Other Authors: Chao-Hsien Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/9qh7kc

碩士 === 國立臺北科技大學 === 電子工程系研究所 === 104 === Nowadays, the birth rate and mortality rate are decreasing every year when the medical skill keeps improving in Taiwan. Taiwan has become the aging society because the elder populations are increasing. In the same time, the raising of dependency rate brings more elders who need to live independently. Elders are facing muscle endurance and sense of balance decreasing issue as the age raise. Also, the deterioration in the eyes brings low vision to elders. All of those issues make the fall accidents happens easier to elders when they are walking on the ground or climbing stairs. Therefore, this research proposes “Walking Assisted Wearable Device for the Elderly Supporting Internet of Things” with ultrasonic sensors. Those sensors are set by different function and able to adjust an appropriate angle. The wearable devices can analysis knees and legs bending in different level during walking, on the other hand, device also can detect angle characteristic and retrieve the front environment in the same time. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), IPv6 over Low Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN) and Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), the collected sensor data are transmitted to the embedded system for analysis and monitoring 1) regular walking to front side 2) climbing up stairs 3) climbing down stairs. The proposed system can provide environment information to elders immediately and allow multiple users such as family members or caregivers understand elders’ walking status. The result shows the walking assisted wearable device in this research can provide more than 85% correct rate for obstacle on the road and climbing stairs situation.