
Smart watches could do more for wheelchair users - colinprince
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/smart-watches-could-do-more-for-wheelchair-users/
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serf
as a wheelchair user myself, i'd like to bring up a point that is glossed
over, but not sufficiently highlighted in this article.

Wheelchair push count is not as valuable a metric as the geometry/ergometry of
the push itself.

Wheelchair related RSI is not usually a matter of volume, it's usually caused
by one of many factors that can cause a wheelchair users' push geometry to
change for the worse.

Underinflated tires, underinflated seat cushion that changes overall torso
height in the seat, poorly adjusted wheelchair, wheelchairs that haven't been
re-fit for the user in a very long time (this is common in the U.S., as many
wheelchair users stick with the unit given to them out of the hospital for a
long time, decades even, due to insurance/healthcare woes) -- these are all
factors that are a greater contributor to push-related RSI than anything
measurable by sheer counting.

So : wheelchair push count is a nice feature for athletes and training-
tracking -- but chair ergonomics is a _much_ more important health issue; if
these devices are being pushed outside athletic circles I think they should
spend a good chunk of time studying and considering the problems of ergonomics
and how to track those kind of metrics over time.

bar napkin idea : pay attention to the push duration rather than the push
volume. per-push-duration could give hints on things like underinflated tires
-- the 'wind-up' motion that begets the push will take longer due to the
increased energy expenditure.

P.S.

somewhat ironically, using a manual push wheelchair that is set up in an
'athletic' profile at all (maybe lots of camber, or maybe lots of seat 'dump'
in the build) almost always prohibits the user from wearing anything on their
wrist without continually bashing it into the hand-rim during their power
stroke.

Watches/bracelets/bangles are , in my experience, a very uncommon fashion
accessory for manual wheelchair users for that reason -- especially those of
which have impaired neurological movement in their hands; folks with those
kinds of issues generally push the handrim with the side of their wrist due to
a lack of grip -- right where a watch would sit normally.

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oblib
That's great feedback.

I haven't looked into mobility tech in a long time but things have certainly
gotten a lot smaller and cheaper since I worked with it and there may be some
simple things that would be handy for manual chair users that wouldn't add
much weight or get in your way.

What kind of computer based gizmos are out there now? It would seem like there
must be things like odometers and little dashboards already. Has anything
really caught on?

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reader_mode
Even if they fix this problem in Apple watch, Samsung watch isn't going to get
it, neither will Google Wear, or Garmin, or Withings, etc.

I feel like this space would benefit so much from some sort of generally
available components/designs where the manufacturer is just configuring
sensors, case size/materials/design, battery size, display type, input methods
- and it would all be supported on some standard software platform.

Because right now it seems like designing a smartwatch is a very expensive
process, it's all mass produced one-size-fits-all designs and everyone is
reinventing the software stack with their own flaws, and you don't want to
drop serious money for one when you know that nothing about the device can be
fixed after the warranty expires (compare that to a mechanical watch).
Smartphone model seems suboptimal when it comes to watches IMO. I would gladly
pay more for a device I knew I could potentially use in 5 years with a
standard battery and screen replacement options.

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amelius
You forgot to mention the joy of patents.

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throwaway316943
What about elder care? Don’t fall detection and monitoring changes in blood
pressure or heart rate that may lead to a fall. Not sure why these aren’t
standard kit for all seniors homes.

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crooked-v
The next version of the Apple Watch is also probably going to include blood
oxygen level monitoring with the ability to alert users if it drops below a
healthy level, similar to the existing min/max heart rate alerts.

Though, really, I think the biggest benefit of wearables expanding into this
space is that they're not 'old people products' like Life Alert. A generally
healthy 60-year-old person who doesn't want to 'seem old' is going to be far
more comfortable wearing an Apple Watch or similar device, and far more likely
to do so consistently.

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DoingIsLearning
> The next version of the Apple Watch is also probably going to include blood
> oxygen level monitoring with the ability to alert users if it drops below a
> healthy level, similar to the existing min/max heart rate alerts.

Ok but this is clearly well past just a "wellness" device, if they are
providing these features with these claims, are they going to certify it as a
"Medical Device" ? Will they submit it through FDA/CE approval ?

~~~
crooked-v
> Will they submit it through FDA/CE approval ?

I find that extremely doubtful.

