Innovative Medical Engineering for Geriatrics
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Project description
The demographic change has made the discipline of geriatrics, which treats elderly and multimorbid people across multiple disciplines and organs, more important than ever. This project’s objective is the development of novel medical engineering solutions in order to detect specific diseases related to elderly people, such as cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary diseases. The cooperation with the Department of Geriatrics at RWTH Aachen’s University Hospital as well as the Clinic for Geriatrics at Franziskus-Hospital Aachen provides a strong interdisciplinary link between engineering and medicine.
Methods
One key area within this project is the development of technologies for contactless measurement of physiological signals using both camera-based methods and sensors integrated into things of daily life. The acquired signals are then analyzed with regard to possible links to specific diseases of elderly people, such as cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary diseases. Therefore, research in this key area includes software aspects (e.g. image and signal processing) as well as hardware aspects (e.g. measurement technology, sensor design).
With the contactless measurement technologies, usage of adhesive electrodes and attachment of cables to the patients is no longer required. Therefore, patients are able to move freely and patient comfort in general is increased. Based on the close cooperation with RWTH Aachen’s University Hospital as well as the Clinic for Geriatrics at Franziskus-Hospital Aachen, the newly developed methods can be directly tested in a clinical environment.
Moreover, a motion lab is available for research regarding the human locomotor system. Last but not least, the project “Innovative Medical Engineering for Geriatrics” also acts as a platform for other projects related to geriatrics, such as project Parkinson or the MedIT Exoskeleton.
Project partners
- RWTH Aachen University Hospital
- Franziskus-Hospital Aachen