Wearables and their applications for the rehabilitation of elderly people

Globally, there has been a change in the population pyramid with an accelerated aging process. This increase requires a greater challenge to maintain autonomy and independence. Currently, there are technologies developed with a focus on health. This is given by the development of wearables and their areas of applications. As a general context, this technology is characterized by the research field in energy generation, the development of external devices for human control and monitoring, clothing, smart textiles, and electronics. The latter are classified into three areas of application: monitoring and safety; fabrics, perception, and physical activity; and rehabilitation. A literature review is conducted to identify the state-of-the-art in these fields within the last years. The progress in monitoring systems and intelligent textiles is evidenced, being able to highlight remote feedback, materials, and wearability both at a commercial and user level. A discussion is included to address the main challenges and future trends in the application of wearables in elderly people.

Automated summary

There has been an accelerated aging process globally, leading to a change in the population pyramid and a greater challenge to maintain independence and autonomy for elderly people. The development of wearable technologies, particularly in monitoring systems and intelligent textiles, has shown progress in remote feedback and wearability. The main challenges and future trends in the application of wearables in the elderly population are discussed.