Unobtrusive Sensors for the Assessment of Older Adult’s Frailty: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Ubiquity (devices becoming part of the context) and transparency (devices not interfering with daily activities) are very significant in healthcare monitoring applications for elders. The present study undertakes a scoping review to map the literature on sensor-based unobtrusive monitoring of older adults’ frailty. We aim to determine what types of devices comply with unobtrusiveness requirements, which frailty markers have been unobtrusively assessed, which unsupervised devices have been tested, the relationships between sensor outcomes and frailty markers, and which devices can assess multiple markers. SCOPUS, PUBMED, and Web of Science were used to identify papers published 2010–2020. We selected 67 documents involving non-hospitalized older adults (65+ y.o.) and assessing frailty level or some specific frailty-marker with some sensor. Among the nine types of body worn sensors, only inertial measurement units (IMUs) on the waist and wrist-worn sensors comply with ubiquity. The former can transparently assess all variables but weight loss. Wrist-worn devices have not been tested in unsupervised conditions. Unsupervised presence detectors can predict frailty, slowness, performance, and physical activity. Waist IMUs and presence detectors are the most promising candidates for unobtrusive and unsupervised monitoring of frailty. Further research is necessary to give specific predictions of frailty level with unsupervised waist IMUs.

Relationship between measures provided by smartwatches and identification of frailty syndrome in older adults: a scoping review

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Relação entre medidas fornecidas por smartwatches e a identificação de síndrome da fragilidade em idosos: revisão de escopo

“…Novas tecnologias têm sido propostas para o rastreio precoce da fragilidade, dentre elas, o uso de sensores vestíveis que podem auxiliar na monitorização do risco de desenvolvimento de fragilidade na população idosa [7][8][9][10] . Uma revisão sistemática 11 incluiu 29 estudos observacionais envolvendo idosos que utilizaram sensores vestíveis para identificar a presença de fragilidade e préfragilidade.…”