Optical fiber sensors for posture monitoring, ulcer detection and control in a wheelchair: a state-of-the-art

Abstract

Background

In the last ten years, the design and implementation of Optical Fiber Sensors (OFS) in biomedical applications have been discussed, with a focus on different subareas, such as body parameter monitoring and control of assistive devices.

Materials and methods

A scoping review was performed including scientific literature (PubMed/Scopus, IEEE and Web of Science), patents (WIPO/Google Scholar), and commercial information.

Results

The main applications of OFS in the rehabilitation field for preventing future postural diseases and applying them in device controllers were discussed in this review. Physical characteristics of OFS, different uses, and applications of Polymer Optical Fiber pressure sensors are mentioned. The main postures used for posture monitoring analysis when the user is sitting are normal position, crooked back, high lumbar pressure, sitting on the edge of the chair, and crooked back, left position, and right position. Additionally, it is possible to use Machine Learning (ML) algorithms for posture classification, and device control such as Support Vector Machine, k-Nearest Neighbors, etc., obtaining accuracies above 97%. Moreover, the literature mentions wheelchair controllers and Graphical User Interfaces using pressure maps to provide feedback to the user.

Conclusions

OFS have been used in several healthcare applications as well as postural and preventive applications. The literature showed an effort to implement and design accessible devices for people with disabilities and people with specific diseases. Alternatively, ML algorithms are widely used in this direction, leaving the door open for further studies that allow the application of real-time systems for posture monitoring and wheelchairs control.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Posture monitoring and ulcer detection systems are very useful to prevent or treat diseases related to bedsores or pressure ulcers using a different kind of electronic or optic instrumentation to improve the user’s quality of life.

• The system characteristics using optical fiber sensors discussed in this review set an important precedent in the fabrication of low-cost systems for biomedical applications.

Keywords:

• Pressure sensors
• posture monitoring
• pressure ulcer detection
• wheelchair control
• polymer optical fiber

Author contributions

Conceptualization, A.X.G.-C., C.A.R.-D., M.C.-C. and T.B.-F.; methodology, A.X.G.-C., C.A.R.-D. M.C.-C. and T.B.-F.; software, A.X.G.-C.; validation, A.X.G.-C., C.A.R.-D., M.C.-C. and T.B.-F.; formal analysis, C.A.R.-D., M.C.-C., T.B.-F. and A.X.G.-C.; investigation, A.X.G.-C.; resources, T.B.-F. and C.A.R.-D.; data curation, C.A.R.-D., A.X.G.-C. and T.B.-F.; writing—original draft preparation, A.X.G.-C. and C.A.R.-D.; writing—review and editing: C.A.R.-D., M.C.-C., A.X.G.-C. and T.B.-F.; visualization,A.X.G.-C.; supervision, C.A.R.-D., M.C.-C. and T.B.-F.; project administration, T.B.-F. and C.A.R.-D.; funding acquisition, C.A.R.-D. and T.B.-F. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

González-Cely A.X. acknowledges the financial support from CAPES [001]. Camilo A. R. Diaz acknowledges the financial support of FAPES [459/2021], CNPq [310668/2021-2], and MCTI/FNDCT/FINEP [2784/20]. Bastos-Filho T. acknowledges the financial support from CNPq [301233/2018-7].