Beth Ekelman

A Human-Centered Activity Tracking System: Toward a Healthier Workplace

Lost productivity from lower back injuries in workplaces costs billions of U.S. dollars per year. A significant fraction of such workplace injuries are the result of workers not following best practices. In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a novel computer-vision-based system that aims to increase the workers’ compliance to best practices. The system consists of inexpensive programmable depth sensors, wearable devices, and smart phones. The system is designed to track the activities of consented workers using the depth sensors, alert them discreetly on detection of noncompliant activities, and produce cumulative reports on their performance. Essentially, the system provides a valuable set of services for both workers and administrators toward a healthier and, therefore, more productive workplace. This study advances the state of the art in the following ways: 1) a set of mechanisms that enable nonintrusive privacy-aware selective tracking of consented workers in the presence of people that should not be tracked; 2) a single sign-on worker identification mechanism; 3) a method that provides realtime detection of noncompliant activities; and 4) a usability study that provides invaluable feedback regarding system design and deployment, as well as future areas of improvements.

Privacy-Aware Human Motion Tracking with Realtime Haptic Feedback

In this paper, we describe a system that integrates 3D motion sensors, wearable devices, and smart phones to perform privacy-aware human motion tracking with real time hap tic feedback. The system is designed to enhance safe patient handling and thus reduce the injury rates of health caregivers in nursing homes and hospitals. Due to privacy concern and governmental regulations, it is paramount that only consented caregivers are tracked. Our system satisfies this requirement by employing a registration process for consented caregivers before their activities are monitored. The registration process involves the corroboration of human motion captured in different modalities (computer-vision-based and accelerometer-based). Patient handling activities of caregivers are assessed in real time using a rule-based approach. Upon detection of unsafe activities, hap tic feedback is delivered in real time to the caregiver via the wearable device worn by the caregiver.

An Occupational Perspective of the Weil-Being of Maya Women in Southern Belize

A study was designed to explore the relationship between occupation and the well-being of indigenous Maya women living in a rural village in the Toledo District of southern Belize. Using a qualitative multiple methods approach, data were collected through participant observation, interviews, a focus group, and document review. Subjects were Maya women, 18 years or older, living in a rural village in southern Belize. The women demonstrated similarities in daily physical and social routines at the river and in their homes, reflecting occupational patterns and routines that are deeply imbedded in their culture and play a critical role in the formation of self-identity. Several themes emerged describing the womens definitions of health and well-being. Each woman interpreted her life in relation to her occupations and well-being differently. This seemed to vary depending on individual life experiences, routines, and contexts.

A privacy-aware Kinect-based system for healthcare professionals

In this paper, we present a novel system for healthcare professionals to enhance their compliance with best practices and regulations using Microsoft Kinect sensors and smart watches while strictly protecting patient privacy. A core contribution of this study is a registration mechanism for a healthcare professional to explicitly give our system the permission to monitor his or her activities. Our system supports the use of multiple Kinect sensors for improved tracking accuracy and better coverage for large workplaces. Furthermore, we introduce a non-intrusive biometrics-based single sign-on mechanism to allow a user to register once for all Kinect sensors within each session. Finally, our system generates alerts reliably on detection of non-compliant activities and delivers the alerts discreetly to a consented healthcare professional via a designated smart watch according to his/her personal preference.

LiftingDoneRight: A Privacy-Aware Human Motion Tracking System for Healthcare Professionals

This article describes the design and implementation of LiftingDoneRight, a novel system for healthcare professionals to enhance their compliance with best practices and regulations regarding proper body mechanics for lifting and pulling activities. The system uses Microsoft Kinect to track the motion of consented users non-intrusively. The system relies on the use of a smartwatch to deliver an alert via vibration and text display whenever a wrong activity that violated the proper body mechanics has been detected. A core contribution of this study is a registration mechanism for a healthcare professional to explicitly give permission to the system to monitor his or her activities. Furthermore, a non-intrusive biometrics-based single sign-on mechanism is incorporated into the system to allow a user to be automatically identified for tracking as long as the user has manually registered with the system before. Finally, the system offers a number of configurations to accommodate different usability needs and privacy requirements.

Occupational Therapy Interventions for Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Appraisal of the Evidence

ABSTRACT This article identifies and critically appraises six systematic reviews published from 2007 to 2013 that assessed the efficacy of interventions used by occupational therapists for adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Results suggest there is sufficient evidence to support the use of therapeutic exercise, patient education through joint protection, and splinting for pain, inflammation, and grip strength but insufficient evidence to support the use of Tai Chi. To help guide clinical practice, future studies need to focus on the appropriate levels of intensity and combinations of therapeutic exercise, effective use of splinting, efficacy of specific education programs, and the use of Tai Chi as these relate to important patient outcomes.

A Wellness Program for Men With Spinal Cord Injury: Participation and Meaning

Little is known about how participating in a wellness program influences the well-being of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The purpose of this study is to explore how men with SCI describe their experiences and meaning of participating in a wellness center program, how they perceived these experiences as influencing their well-being, and how these experiences relate to co-occupations and occupational spin-off concepts. Investigators employed a descriptive qualitative design. Four adult males with an SCI participated in the study. Data collection methods included individual semi-structured interviews and observations. Participation in a wellness program positively influenced the physical, mental, and social well-being of participants. Findings expand our understanding of the value of social environment, social participation, co-occupations, and occupational spin-off. It is essential that occupational therapists promote occupational justice by advocating for clients so they can participate in wellness occupations in the community.