scholarly journals Developing a smart multifunctional outdoor jacket with wearable sensing technology for user health and safety

Author(s):  
Hyunseung Lee ◽  
Kyungsoon Baek

AbstractOver the decades, there has been a sustained effort to use fashion as a medium for delivering digital functionality. The goal is to integrate information technology (IT) into clothing to provide users with functions to assist them in their tasks. Regarding the direction of previous efforts, this study developed a multifunctional smart outdoor jacket prototype that senses, recognizes, responds, and manages various safety risks and potentially hazardous situations and identifies environmental factors that are difficult to predict. The prototype’s research and development (R & D) was carried out through the following steps. First, to determine functions that can practically assist users in outdoor environments and help ensure their health and safety, a user requirement survey subject to expert evaluation was conducted. Six functions were selected: (1) Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, (2) heart rate monitoring for self-health care, (3) emergency calls to request assistance, (4) temperature-reactive heating to retain body heat for survival, (5) fall detection and automatic emergency calls, and (6) ultraviolet monitoring for self-health care. Next, a wearable system and its garment platform were developed, containing detachable device modules for washability and ease of maintenance. Lastly, a dedicated smartphone application was developed for extended functionality. By exploring the use of clothing in diversifying wearable health care and HAR systems, the study could be used to diversify wearable healthcare and safety platforms.

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 563-572
Author(s):  
Mirela Panainte-Lehadus ◽  
Florin Nedeff ◽  
Alina Petrovici ◽  
Gabriela Telibasa ◽  
Daniel-Catalin Felegeanu ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariko Nishikawa ◽  
Masaaki Yamanaka ◽  
Akira Shibanuma ◽  
Junko Kiriya ◽  
Masamine Jimba

Abstract Background Before the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in January 2020, the number of overseas visitors to Japan had increased threefold over the last decade. To minimize the risk of health problems, visitors should be able to access information on the health care systems of the places they visit. Most short-term overseas visitors are young adults. Although they are not very likely to get sick from noncommunicable diseases, they are at high risk for injury and often experience stomach ailments, fever, or nausea when travelling. The objective of this study is to evaluate culturally and linguistically appropriate health information on preventive health behaviours and the health care system in Japan. We will examine the level of satisfaction of overseas visitors to Japan with health care-related educational materials using a five-minute digital game named Sa-Chan Japan. Methods Our study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). We will assess both satisfaction and motivation before, during, and after the interventions and examine the changes over time. The intervention group will comprise overseas visitors who will view and answer questions in an animation named Sa-Chan Japan. The control group will comprise overseas visitors who will watch an English digital animation named Mari Info Japan. We will recruit 1002 participants through the Macromill Internet portal. We will contact overseas visitors who have either visited or wish to visit Japan from the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. The participants will fill out a self-administered questionnaire online in the first quarter of 2021. We will determine the participants’ levels of satisfaction with the CSQ-8 (8-item Client Satisfaction Questionnaire). We will analyse the median score of the overseas visitors with both the Wilcoxon rank-sum and the Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Our protocol of randomized controlled trials follows the SPIRIT guidelines. Discussion Our research will utilize unique digital education strategies in a game that promotes health and safety among overseas visitors to Japan. We believe the results of this study will be useful in overcoming the current challenges regarding pretravel health requirements for overseas visitors worldwide. Trial registration Version 1 of this trial was registered in the UMIN-CTR (University Hospital Medical Information Network Center Clinical Trials Registry), and the trial registration data are available on UMIN000042483, November 17, 2020.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-43
Author(s):  
H Potockova ◽  
P Kusnierik ◽  
J Dohnal

Medical devices form a large heterogeneous group of products ranging from simple tools to medical testing and implants, the safety and efficacy of which are strictly regulated in all developed countries. Thanks to the health and cost benefits, medical devices have also found their way into veterinary medicine but, surprisingly, the regulation of these products is far less complex or, in some cases, missing altogether. Given the complexity and potential hazards of certain veterinary devices, the current state of affairs may lead to health and safety risks, both for animals and personnel involved. This review is the first to systematically map the current situation in the EU, revealing health and safety risks in practice for both animals and personnel involved and discussing them in a broader context. Only six out of the EU's 28 member states (Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia) were found to have at least a degree of regulation of veterinary devices. As a result, a single product may be regulated as a veterinary medicinal product, a veterinary medical device or not be regulated at all, depending on the particular EU member state in question. As things stand, veterinary medicine makes use of all kinds of medical devices, including human products, regardless of their regulatory status and (pre-market) control. However, the use of such devices may influence the health and well-being of animals. Several measures are therefore suggested to attain the required levels of safety and efficacy surveillance for veterinary medical devices without creating excessive administration.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1001 ◽  
pp. 426-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Müllerová ◽  
Jozef Puskajler

Alternative solid fuels becoming popular thanks to considerable fuel cost save (comparing to gas). Pellet quality varies depending on content of bark, straw and other non-wood additives. These additives decrease the combustion efficiency and increase the fuel consumption and solid emission. Pellets stored in large amount bring certain hazard for a man. They may become dangerous for the high fire risk due to self-ignition tendency and also due to moulds presence attacking the human breath system.


AAOHN Journal ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 321-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda J. McGrath

Childcare workers are exposed to several health and safety risks in their work environment, the most common being infectious diseases, musculoskeletal injuries, accidents, and occupational stress. Pregnant childcare workers have an additional risk of potential harm to the fetus. Occupational health nurses can work collaboratively with childcare workers to reduce these risks and provide workplace health promotion programs. This article explores the occupational health and safety issues for childcare workers and suggests health promotion strategies that could be implemented by occupational health nurses working in this arena.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah M Curtis ◽  
Hendrika Meischke ◽  
Nancy Simcox ◽  
Sarah Laslett ◽  
Noah Seixas

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 547-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne E. Hathaway ◽  
Bonnie Zimmer ◽  
Georgianna Willis ◽  
Jay G. Silverman

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