Research Projects

Low back pain is a major challenge for humanity (LBP). Working on a laptop these days is relatively common in many different professions, which forces one to sit most of the time and maintain the same posture, stressing the lumbar region. We wear belts to our clothing. The game may be changed by a smart belt-like wearable technology. IMU sensor, Flex sensor, and piezoelectric sensor are three distinct sensors. Magnetic fields, angular velocity, and acceleration are all measured by the IMU sensor. Flex sensors gauge how much deflection or bending has occurred. Piezoelectric sensor for monitoring dynamic pressure and vibrations coming from strained human body parts. To provide the patient with realistic stress warnings from the human body, an AI algorithm will be developed. To design a machine learning algorithm that would result in the development of a smart wearable device, data from more than 300 people of all ages and health conditions to be gathered. Each individual can bear a varied degree of stress in their body while taking everything into account and providing timely and useful alerts, which is very new in this market. Employing sensors in the belt, a mobile application may notify the user to adjust their position and aids in data collection to develop the algorithm. During extreme strain, the mobile application will notify the user to adjust their posture or to relax so that appropriate action may be done. “Cato-zoni” is named for the proposed wearable belt technology meaning smart belt. “Better Spine” is the proposed mobile application name which connects “cato-zoni” with the mobile device. LIMITATIONS IN THE EXISTING SYSTEMS:  Chair-based sensor detection is available, and also a T-shirt with inductive sensors that analyses sitting position alone is also available in literature.  A mobile app that uses image processing and deep learning, which is costly and sophisticated is presently in use which is little complex.  Most present systems focus on the thoracic and cervical spines, with little provision for the user to adjust system parameters such as angle sensitivity.  The only app accessible is a smart sensor-based cervical spine angle detection and alarm app or a standing posture evaluation app. NOVELTY OF THE PROPOSED PRODUCT:  Belt and not suit focusing, solely for lumbar posture evaluation.  The entire smartphone application is focused on low-back posture evaluation and alert based on AI.  The device employs a user-specific angle and position system.  The technology proposed is low-cost, well-designed and lightweight compact belt.  Mobile app-based vibration alert system and not belt based vibrators which fails in obese humans.