Resumo:
Currently the Brazilian age pyramid has been showing a large increase in the elderly,
so the development of methods, techniques and tools to evaluate the fragility in the
elderly has been gaining more and more importance in the national scenario. Fragility is
a syndrome characterized by reduced physical and cognitive reserves, making the elderly
more vulnerable to adverse events, hospitalizations, falls, loss of independence and death.
To assess frailty in the elderly, inertia sensors were applied to quantify motion assessment
in the Time Up and Go (TUG) test, the accelerometers are used during balance evaluation
and the algorithms detect fragile, non-fragile, and robust.
In this context, in partnership with researchers from UNIFEI and UNIVAS, an electronic
device composed of high-quality, multifunctional and cost-effective sensors was developed
and tested, combining a 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer, thermometer, oximeter
and frequency gauge, analyze movement quality, energy expenditure, gait speed, change in
balance and heart rate variability during movement and quality of the contraction of the
pentruceps muscle. The data are analyzed in specific software, developed for the prototype
of the equipment. The validation of the sensors does not cause damages or damages to
the health of the participants. The developed system continues to be successfully tested
in elderly volunteers.
