A Low-Resolution Infrared Array for Unobtrusive Human Activity Recognition That Preserves Privacy.

This research uses a low-resolution infrared array sensor to address real-time human activity recognition while prioritizing the preservation of privacy. The proposed system captures thermal pixels that are represented as a human silhouette. With camera and image processing, it is easy to detect human activity, but that reduces privacy. This work proposes a novel human activity recognition system that uses interpolation and mathematical measures that are unobtrusive and do not involve machine learning. The proposed method directly and efficiently recognizes multiple human states in a real-time environment. This work also demonstrates the accuracy of the outcomes for various scenarios using traditional ML approaches. This low-resolution IR array sensor is effective and would be useful for activity recognition in homes and healthcare centers.

The Methods of Fall Detection: A Literature Review.

Fall Detection Systems (FDS) are automated systems designed to detect falls experienced by older adults or individuals. Early or real-time detection of falls may reduce the risk of major problems. This literature review explores the current state of research on FDS and its applications. The review shows various types and strategies of fall detection methods. Each type of fall detection is discussed with its pros and cons. Datasets of fall detection systems are also discussed. Security and privacy issues related to fall detection systems are also considered in the discussion. The review also examines the challenges of fall detection methods. Sensors, algorithms, and validation methods related to fall detection are also talked over. This work found that fall detection research has gradually increased and become popular in the last four decades. The effectiveness and popularity of all strategies are also discussed. The literature review underscores the promising potential of FDS and highlights areas for further research and development.

Ensuring the security and availability of a hospital wireless LAN system.

Wireless technologies as part of the data communication infrastructure of modern hospitals are being rapidly introduced. Even though there are concerns about problems associated with wireless communication security, the demand is remarkably large. Herein we discuss security countermeasures that must be taken and issues concerning availability that must be considered to ensure safe hospital/business use of wireless LAN systems, referring to the procedures introduced at a university hospital. Security countermeasures differ according to their purpose, such as preventing illegal use or ensuring availability, both of which are discussed. The main focus of the availability discussion is on signal reach, electromagnetic noise elimination, and maintaining power supply to the network apparatus. It is our hope that this information will assist others in their efforts to ensure safe implementation of wireless LAN systems, especially in hospitals where they have the potential to greatly improve information sharing and patient safety.

Prescription surveillance and polymerase chain reaction testing to identify pathogens during outbreaks of infection.

Syndromic surveillance, including prescription surveillance, offers a rapid method for the early detection of agents of bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases. However, it has the disadvantage of not considering definitive diagnoses. Here, we attempted to definitively diagnose pathogens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) immediately after the prescription surveillance system detected an outbreak. Specimens were collected from 50 patients with respiratory infections. PCR was used to identify the pathogens, which included 14 types of common respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Infectious agents including M. pneumoniae, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus, enterovirus, and parainfluenza virus were detected in 54% of patients. For the rapid RSV diagnosis kit, sensitivity was 80% and specificity was 85%. For the rapid adenovirus diagnosis kit, no positive results were obtained; therefore, sensitivity could not be calculated and specificity was 100%. Many patients were found to be treated for upper respiratory tract infections without the diagnosis of a specific pathogen. In Japan, an outbreak of M. pneumoniae infection began in 2011, and our results suggested that this outbreak may have included false-positive cases. By combining syndromic surveillance and PCR, we were able to rapidly and accurately identify causative pathogens during a recent respiratory infection outbreak.

Installation of secure, always available wireless LAN systems as a component of the hospital communication infrastructure.

Wireless technologies as part of the data communication infrastructure of modern hospitals are being rapidly introduced. Even though there are concerns about problems associated with wireless communication security, the demand is remarkably large. In addition, insuring that the network is always available is important. Herein, we discuss security countermeasures and points to insure availability that must be taken to insure safe hospital/business use of wireless LAN systems, referring to the procedures introduced at Shimane University Hospital. Security countermeasures differ according to their purpose, such as for preventing illegal use or insuring availability, both of which are discussed. It is our hope that this information will assist others in their efforts to insure safe implementation of wireless LAN systems, especially in hospitals where they have the potential to greatly improve information sharing and patient safety.

Usefulness and economic evaluation of ADSL-based live interactive teledermatology in areas with shortage of dermatologists.

BACKGROUND: To overcome the problem of maldistribution of dermatologists in rural areas, live interactive teleconsultation systems are being used in some countries. However, these systems are not in common use because few evaluations on their efficiency and economic viability were reported. METHODS: We constructed an easy-to-use asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)-based live interactive teleconsultation system and conducted 150 trial sessions between two rural hospitals and Shimane University Hospital. The clinical usefulness and economic advantages of this system were evaluated using data obtained from the trials. RESULTS: The system efficiently captured images at a resolution sufficient for specialized consultations: follicular openings were visible in the images obtained from a distance of 2 m. This system is more advantageous than a conventional clinic if the following condition is fulfilled: y ≤ 6.00 x-3.86 [x, time required for one-way travel (h); y, time required for consultation (h)]. Our two lines in trial fulfilled this condition. CONCLUSIONS: Asymmetric digital subscriber line-based live interactive teleconsultation technology is beneficial in many rural hospitals that do not have a dermatologist.

The electromagnetic environment of hospitals: how it is affected by the strength of electromagnetic fields generated both inside and outside the hospital.

Most problems with the electromagnetic environment of medical institutions have been related to radiated electromagnetic fields and have been constructed from reports about electromagnetic interference (EMI) with electronic medical equipment by the radio waves emitted from mobile telephone handsets. However, radiated electromagnetic fields are just one of the elements. For example, little attention has been placed on problems with the electric power source. Apparatus for clinical treatment and diagnosis that use electric power sources have come into wide use in hospitals. Hospitals must pay careful attention to all elements of the electromagnetic environment. Herein, I will show examples of measurements and measuring methods for radiated electromagnetic fields, static magnetic fields, and power-source noise, common components of the medical electromagnetic environment.

Investigations of the quality of hospital electric power supply and the tolerance of medical electric devices to voltage dips.

Medical devices driven by electric power have come to be commonly used in hospitals, and rapid changes of voltage or current can easily cause them to fail. A stable and high quality power supply is indispensable in order to maintain safety in the modern clinical setting. Therefore, we investigated the quality of the power supply in a hospital and determined the tolerance of 13 pieces of medical equipment to voltage dips. The results showed little distortion of the voltage wave. However, we found an approximately 7% momentary voltage dip caused by lightening and other problems, such as 2 to 5% periodic drops in voltage and voltage wave distortions caused by incorrect grounding. In a tolerance test, the settings of some medical devices were changed at the time of automatic reboot after a disturbance. For another device, trend information was initialized.

A tool for improving the Web accessibility of visually handicapped persons.

Abstract Much has been written concerning the difficulties faced by visually handicapped persons when they access the internet. To solve some of the problems and to make web pages more accessible, we developed a tool we call the "Easy Bar," which works as a toolbar on the web browser. The functions of the Easy Bar are to change the size of web texts and images, to adjust the color, and to clear cached data that is automatically saved by the web browser. These functions are executed with ease by clicking buttons and operating a pull-down list. Since the icons built into Easy Bar are quite large, it is not necessary for the user to deal with delicate operations. The functions of Easy Bar run on any web page without increasing the processing time. For the visually handicapped, Easy Bar would contribute greatly to improved web accessibility to medical information.

The effectiveness of the installation of a mobile voice communication system in a university hospital.

In large hospitals, collaborative clinical practice is currently emphasized, with members of various departments expected to work as a team. The importance of accurate communication among the team members is of utmost importance. To improve such communication, the introduction of mobile voice communication systems has received much attention in Japan. Shimane University Hospital also introduced a Personal Handy-phone System (PHS) for doctors. In the traditional setting, much time was wasted searching for doctors through multiple calls on fixed-line telephones. In order to measure the effectiveness of our system, the change in the number of calls made on fixed-line telephones before and after PHS installation was compared. The total number of calls was reduced by more than 35%, and the number of calls to the wards on weekdays was reduced by half. Mobile telecommunication systems with small output power, such as PHS, are known to cause little interference with medical devices which makes it possible to use mobile voice communication safely in hospitals. The improvement in communication by this systems resulted in an improvement in labor efficiency.

Safe introduction of in-hospital wireless LAN.

Insufficient research on electromagnetic interference (EMI) with medical electronic equipment by the signals of wireless LAN has been done. Therefore, electromagnetic compatibility between medical electronic equipment and wireless LAN data communications was done (IEEE802.11a, b, and g). First, to determine if medical electronic equipment is affected by EMI caused by radio waves, we irradiated radio waves to ten types of medical electronic equipment in an electromagnetic anechoic chamber. EMI were observed on three pieces of equipment. Next, to determine if the electromagnetic field emitted by the medical devices might interfere with wireless LAN communication, we measured the electric field intensity. Data analysis showed that the electromagnetic wave emitted by microwave ovens was at almost the same center frequency of the communication channel specified by the IEEE802.11b for wireless LAN. Although the number of medical electronic equipment investigated in this study was small, hospital administrators should consider electromagnetic wave testing of all medical electronic equipment to be used in areas of common wireless LAN use when planning the installation of wireless LAN.

Electromagnetic noise superimposed on the electric power supply to electronic medical equipment.

The use of mobile medical electronic equipment driven at low electric power outputs has progressed rapidly in recent years. Voltage change and noise superimposed on the power supply could create obstacles to the operation of medical electronic equipment. We observed the quality of the power supply of medical electronic equipment in a university hospital, and found approximately 5% distortion on voltage. Possible causes of the distortion and factors involved in voltage/current distortion are discussed. Also shown are some points for avoiding power supply problems when using medical electronic equipment.

A rapid speech synthesizing software on a PDA for Japanese with speech impairments.

We developed a Japanese-language, rapid synthesizing software application for use on a personal digital assistant. It has an unrestricted vocabulary and can synthesize words and sentences within 3 s. Eight hundred common sentences and words are preregistered. By touching the first character at the head of a preregistered sentence or word from an on-screen Kana (Japanese alphabet) chart, the user can select the sentence or word to be spoken. Characters on the Kana chart can also be input sequentially. Two Japanese subjects with speech impairments rated the device highly for its portability and quick response. Whereas communication previously had to be done by writing or sign language, it was easy for listeners with or without specialized training in communication with persons with speech impairments to understand the output from this device, making conversation easier which, in turn, improved the quality of life and social activity of these persons with speech impairments.

Negligible electromagnetic interaction between medical electronic equipment and 2.4 GHz band wireless LAN.

Wireless LANs using radio waves have recently gained popularity for installation in hospitals. Because electromagnetic waves transmitted from mobile telephones have been shown to cause interference with medical electronic equipment, prudence would seem necessary when introducing radio wave communication devices into hospitals. Therefore, we tested the effect of wireless LAN communication on medical electronic equipment and the effect of electronic equipment on wireless LAN communication. We observed nine pieces of electronic equipment in the operating mode while transmitting radio waves from a wireless LAN. Even when the access point was put very close to the medical electronic equipment surface and data was transmitted, no malfunction of the equipment was observed. The medical electronic equipment caused little change in the effectiveness of the communication device, although radio waves emitted from electric knives and a remote patient monitor reduced the reception rate to about 60%. The communication speed of the wireless LAN was temporarily reduced only when a microwave oven was located close to and facing the access point. Because output in Japan is limited to a maximum of 10 mW wireless LAN following the IEEE802.11b standard should be able to be installed safely in Japanese hospitals. However, wireless LAN access points should not be installed near microwave ovens.

A filter that prevents the spread of mail-attachment-type Trojan horse computer worms.

The malicious code "W32/Sircam" is spread via e-mail and potentially through the file space shared by local area networks. Such Trojan-horse-type computer worms easily penetrate Internet firewalls and propagate via the "backdoor" to other computers. Once a malicious code, such as "W32/Sircam," has been executed on a system, it may reveal or delete confidential data, such as clinical records. In order to protect against the leakage of clinical records, we devised a mail filter that successfully prevents the spread of mail containing this malicious code. It is significant that neither access control nor packet filtering is guaranteed to prevent the spread of this mail-attachment-type Trojan horse computer worm.

A network system of medical and welfare information service for the patients, their families, hospitals, local governments, and commercial companies in a medical service area.

A service information system using the Internet, which connected the various people who are related to medical treatment and nursing welfare, was constructed. An intractable neurological disease patient who lives in the Onga district, Fukuoka, Japan, and the people who are related to the service were chosen as test users in an experimental model. The communicated service information was divided into open-use data (electronic bulletin board, welfare service, medical care service, and link to private company service home page) and closed-use data (the individual patient's hysterics). The open data server was installed in an Internet service provider The open data could be accessed not only by the patient, but also by the family, information center, companies, hospitals, and nursing commodity store related to patient's nursing and medical treatment. Closed data server was installed in an information center (public health center). Only patient and information center staff can access the closed data. Patients should search and collect the service information of various medical and welfare services by themselves. Therefore, services prepared for the patient are difficult to know, and they cannot be sufficiently utilized. With the use of this information system, all usable service information became accessible, and patients could easily use it. The electronic bulletin board system (BBS) was used by patients for knowing each other or each others' family, and was used as a device for exchange of wisdom. Also, the questions for the specialist, such as doctor, dentist, teacher, physical therapist, care manager, welfare office staff member, and public health nurse, and the answers were shown on the BBS. By arranging data file, a reference of various patients in question and answer, which appeared in this BBS, was made as "advisory hints" and was added to the open data. The advisory hints became the new service information for the patients and their family. This BBS discovered the possibility of becoming an important information source for companies, hospital and, administration to know the requirements of patients and their families and the kind of services to be served. Although suppliers provide medical and welfare services for the patient, there is a tendency that the service information is sent by the suppliers at their own convenience. The information system in which various people participated was constructed in order to collect information for the patient, taking a patient-oriented approach. The result of the model test showed that this information system using Internet technology is a good system for both the service supplier and its receiver.

A simple method for calculating the financial balance of a hospital, based on proportional dividing.

It is necessary to estimate financial status to determine hospital management policy. The costs and revenues (financial balance) of each hospital division are one good index. However, it is difficult to calculate the financial balance for each division, since clinics and central services are intricately involved with each other There are no reports on a pragmatic method for calculating the financial balance. We devised a simple method based on proportional dividing. Consequently, one individual was able to complete the calculation for our hospital, which consists of 1300 beds and 23 clinics, without using the central hospital computer system.

A practical procedure to prevent electromagnetic interference with electronic medical equipment.

Problems involving electromagnetic interference (EMI) with electronic medical equipment are well-documented. However, no systematic investigation of EMI has been done. We have systematically investigated the causes of EMI. The factors involved in EMI were determined as follows: 1) Electric-field intensity induced by invasive radio waves from outside a hospital. 2) Residual magnetic-flux density at welding points in a building. 3) Electric-field intensity induced by conveyance systems with a linear motor. 4) The shielding capacity of hospital walls. 5) The shielding capacity of commercial shields against a wide range frequency radio waves. 6) The immunity of electronic medical equipment. 7) EMI by cellular telephone and personal handy-phone system handsets. From the results of our investigation, we developed a following practical procedure to prevent EMI. 1) Measurement of electric-field intensity induced by invasive radio waves from outside the hospital and industrial systems in the hospital. 2) Measurement of residual magnetic-flux density at electric welding points of hospital buildings with steel frame structures. 3) Control of the electromagnetic environment by utilizing the shielding capacity of walls. 4) Measurement of the immunity of electronic medical equipment. And 5) Installation of electronic gate equipment at the building entrance to screen for handsets.