Researchers at the University of Missouri and independent living
community TigerPlace have been using motion-sensing technology
to monitor test and monitor changes in elderly residents’ health
for several years. Now, researchers have turned to video game
technology combined with security systems as an effective way to
detect the early onset of illness and to watch for fall risk in
seniors. Marjorie Skubic, professor of electrical and computer
engineering in the MU College of Engineering, is working with
doctoral student Erik Stone to use Kinect to monitor behavior
and routine changes in patients at TigerPlace. “The Kinect uses
infrared light to create a depth image that produces data in the
form of a silhouette, instead of a video or photograph,” said
Stone. “This alleviates many seniors’ concerns about privacy
when traditional web camera-based monitoring systems are used.”
Another doctoral student, Liang Liu, is working with Mihail
Popescu, assistant professor in the College of Engineering and
the Department