Applications of Wearable Sensors in Healthcare, Rehabilitation and Sports Biomechanics

Dear Colleagues,

Integrating sensors with the latest AI, data communications, mobile, video and processing infrastructures can provide insights from data sources captured beyond the cognitive ability of a healthcare specialist, rehabilitation expert or coach.

During the recent pandemic and lockdowns, the importance of physical activity has been highlighted. We have become more aware of how leading an active lifestyle improves quality of life, longevity, and overall well-being, as well as reducing the risks of chronic and non-communicable diseases.

Though applications of wearable and equipment-attached sensors are becoming increasingly sophisticated, there are many multi-disciplinary opportunities for advancement. These include increasing usability and operational robustness, generating comprehensive and personable feedback, improving data streaming, and enhancing processing infrastructures. There is also room to address issues such as vendor locking and reliance on proprietary systems that do not provide access to raw data or properly address the need for privacy preservation, empowering end-users to take control over their data sharing, and securing personal data to remain within the oversight of local data protection laws.

This Special Issue of the Applied Sciences journal aims to provide a platform to share the latest research on applications of wearable sensors in healthcare, rehabilitation, and sports biomechanics. Some potential themes and topics include the following:

• Applications of sensor technology and privacy preservation to
  • Enhance the quality of life of people living on their own, while preserving their privacy.
  • Promote graceful ageing.
  • Support sport and recreational activities.
  • Enhance sport performance.
  • Augment ‘feel’ and proprioceptive ability.
  • Reduce rehabilitation times to return to regular work or sport activity.
• AI applications for multimodal sensor signal processing and technology to
  • Enhance motor skills or accelerate skills (re)acquisition (e.g. after incidents or medical intervention).
  • Improve specific performance and safety objectives of a targeted activity.
  • Provide skill-level assessment and stylistic performance judgments.
• The usability of sensor technology in healthcare, rehabilitation, and sport science, for example, to
  • Motivate users to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
  • Remove obstacles to enjoying the benefits of sensor technologies in daily lives.
  • Support team sports decisions and talent scouting.
• The development of open-source and consumer-grade sensors and systems, e.g.,
  • Applications of open-source sensor technology, system integration and access to non-proprietary data or data streaming. Sensor technology applications to reduce inequality and improve accessibility for the global population.
  • Open-source community initiatives to accelerate the development of technology adoption from proof-of-concepts to validation studies.
  • Sustainability and e-waste reduction. Repurposing or re-inventing ways to use consumer-grade or near-obsolete technology for healthy living and active lifestyles.
• Analytical platforms for large (multimodal) data streams processing, including
  • Locally controlled data governance and analytical platforms e.g. to improve efficiency and efficacy of rehabilitation services or general healthcare systems.
  • AI and data analytics applications to prevent, monitor, diagnose, treat and cure diseases.
  • AI and multimodal sensor technology to support neurorehabilitation or rehabilitation (e.g. in terms of adherence to an exercise regime), while preserving privacy and allowing personalised feedback and/or intervention.

Dr. Boris Bačić
Prof. Dr. Hamid GholamHosseini
Dr. Maryam Doborjeh
Dr. Samaneh Madanian
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• wearable sensors
• biosensors
• sport equipment sensors
• equipment attached sensors
• explainable AI
• multimodal signal processing
• video, image, and sensor signals
• human activity recognition (HAR)
• human activity modelling and analysis (HAMA)
• human motion modelling and analysis (HMMA)