School of Engineering, Mercer University, Macon, GA 31207, USA.
School of Health Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA.
Sensors (Basel). 2021 Aug 20;21(16):5610. doi: 10.3390/s21165610.
Balance is key to independent mobility, and poor balance leads to a risk of falling and subsequent injury that can cause self-restriction of activity for older adults. Balance and mobility can be improved through training programs, but many programs are not intensive or engaging enough to sufficiently improve balance while maintaining adherence. As an alternative to traditional balance training, harnessed gardening sessions were conducted in an urban greenhouse as an example of a community activity through which balance and mobility can be trained and/or maintained. An inexpensive multidirectional harness system was developed that can be used as an assistive or rehabilitative device in community, private, and senior center gardens to allow balance or mobility-impaired adults to participate in programming. Two wearable sensor systems were used to measure responses to the system: the Polhemus G4 system measured gardeners' positions and center of mass relative to the base of support, and ActiGraph activity monitors measured the frequency and intensity of arm movements in garden as compared to home environments. The harnessed gardening system provides a safe environment for intense movement activity and can be used as a rehabilitation device along with wearable sensor systems to monitor ongoing changes.
平衡是独立移动的关键，而平衡能力差会导致老年人跌倒的风险增加，继而受伤，这可能会导致他们自我限制活动。通过训练计划可以提高平衡和移动能力，但许多计划不够密集或吸引人，无法在保持依从性的同时充分提高平衡能力。作为传统平衡训练的替代方法，在城市温室中进行了有绳园艺活动，以此作为社区活动的一个例子，可以通过这种活动来训练和/或保持平衡和移动能力。开发了一种廉价的多向安全带系统，可作为社区、私人和老年人中心花园中的辅助或康复设备，使平衡或行动不便的成年人能够参与计划。使用了两个可穿戴传感器系统来测量对系统的响应：Polhemus G4 系统测量园艺师相对于支撑基础的位置和质心，而 ActiGraph 活动监测器则测量与家庭环境相比，在花园中手臂运动的频率和强度。有绳园艺系统为剧烈运动活动提供了安全的环境，并且可以与可穿戴传感器系统一起用作康复设备，以监测正在进行的变化。
