Sensor Technologies: Healthcare, Wellness and Environmental Applications

Sensor Technologies: Healthcare, Wellness and Environmental Applications explores the key aspects of sensor technologies, covering wired, wireless, and discrete sensors for the specific application domains of healthcare, wellness and environmental sensing.  It discusses the social, regulatory, and design considerations specific to these domains.

The book provides an application-based approach using real-world examples to illustrate the application of sensor technologies in a practical and experiential manner. The book  guides the reader from the formulation of the research question, through the design and validation process, to the deployment and management phase of sensor applications.  The processes and examples used in the book are primarily based on research carried out by Intel or joint academic research programs.

“Sensor Technologies: Healthcare, Wellness and Environmental Applications provides an extensive overview of sensing technologies and their applications in healthcare, wellness, and environmental monitoring. From sensor hardware to system applications and case studies, this book gives readers an in-depth understanding of the technologies and how they can be applied. I would highly recommend it to students or researchers who are interested in wireless sensing technologies and the associated applications.”
Dr. Benny Lo
Lecturer, The Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College of London

“This timely addition to the literature on sensors covers the broad complexity of sensing, sensor types, and the vast range of existing and emerging applications in a very clearly written and accessible manner.  It is particularly good at capturing the exciting possibilities that will occur as sensor networks merge with cloud-based ‘big data’ analytics to provide a host of new applications that will impact directly on the individual in ways we cannot fully predict at present.  It really brings this home through the use of carefully chosen case studies that bring the overwhelming concept of ‘big data’ down to the personal level of individual life and health.”
Dermot Diamond
Director, National Centre for Sensor Research, Principal Investigator, CLARITY Centre for Sensor Web Technologies, Dublin City University

“Sensor Technologies: Healthcare, Wellness and Environmental Applications takes the reader on an end-to-end journey of sensor technologies, covering the fundamentals from an engineering perspective, introducing how the data gleaned can be both processed and visualized, in addition to offering exemplar case studies in a number of application domains.  It is a must-read for those studying any undergraduate course that involves sensor technologies.  It also provides a thorough foundation for those involved in the research and development of applied sensor systems.  I highly recommend it to any engineer who wishes to broaden their knowledge in this area!”
Chris Nugent
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ulster

What you’ll learn

The relevant sensing approaches and the hardware and software components required to capture and interpret sensor data.

The importance of regulations governing medical devices.

A design methodology for developing and deploying successful home- and community-based technologies, supported by relevant case studies.

Health, wellness, and environmental sensing applications and how they work.

The challenges and future directions of sensing in these domains.

Who this book is for

Sensor Technologies: Healthcare, Wellness and Environmental Applications is targeted at clinical and technical researchers, engineers, and students who want to understand the current state of the art in sensor applications in these domains. The reader gains a full awareness of the key technical and non-technical challenges that must be addressed in the development of successful end-to-end sensor applications. Real-world examples help give the reader practical insights into the successful development, deployment, and management of sensor applications. The reader will also develop an understanding of the personal, social, and ethical impact of sensor applications, now and in the future.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Sensing and Sensor Fundamentals
Chapter 3: Key Sensor Technology Components: Hardware and Software Overview
Chapter 4: Sensor Network Topologies and Design Considerations
Chapter 5: Processing and Adding Vibrancy to Sensor Data
Chapter 6: Regulations and Standards: Considerations for Sensor Technologies
Chapter 7: The Data Economy of Biosensors
Chapter 8: Sensor Deployments for Home and Community Settings
Chapter 9: Body-Worn, Ambient, and Consumer Sensing for Health Applications
Chapter 10: Wellness, Fitness, and Lifestyle Sensing Applications
Chapter 11: Environmental Monitoring for Health and Wellness
Chapter 12: Summary and Future Trends