uni'wissen 02-2015_ENG

Van Laerhoven says patients would feel like they’re being watched, which could lead them to move less naturally. The sensors have no connection to the inter- net or other devices. They can only be connected to a computer by cable. This guarantees data protection, assures the researcher. Moreover, the patients can decide for themselves whether to hand over the stored data to their therapist. Every two to four weeks the data stored on the sensor are transferred to a special program on the computer and made anonymous in the pro- cess. In this way, only the patients’ psychologists know which data set belongs to whom. When the data is transferred for the first time, the software developed by Van Laerhoven has to learn which motion patterns stand for which activities. In the beginning, the therapist and the software still have to rely on the classical written records of the patient. The recorded data are named on the basis of the journal entries. From then on, the software identifies patterns in the motion, light, and temperature data and links them to the activities designated after the first data transfer. For example, particular repeated patterns like fore- and backhands suggest a tennis match, while very few movements in combination with darkness and low room temperatures indicate sleep. The analysis of a week’s worth of data currently takes five to ten minutes, but Van Laer- hoven is working on making his software even faster and more efficient. Self-Produced Sensors Sensors like those Van Laerhoven needs can- not be bought. “Smartwatches are not useful for “The patients confirm that they didn’t even notice the tiny device anymore after a short time.” Unlike a smartwatch, the sensor’s display shows very little information. This improves battery life. Photo: Sandra Meyndt uni wissen 02 201522 uni wissen 02201522

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