Deadline Date: 18 April 2022. 

Please submit your research article, review article or position paper through manuscript central and select the “Emerging Wearable Technologies to Promote Wellness and Healthy Aging in Older Adults” special issue.

Emerging Wearable Technologies for Healthy Aging

The rapidly growing number of older adults in developed countries places increasing pressure on aged care and health services. Older adults are more vulnerable to illness and show a higher prevalence of health risk factors. To promote wellness and independence, and delay physical and cognitive decline, researchers have been investigating the use of new wearable devices and data analytics in both controlled and free-living conditions.

Wearable sensing devices such as smart wristbands, garments, and footwear can aid the diagnosis of late-onset neurodegenerative disorders to inform more targeted and effective treatments or detect subtle markers of gait and balance disturbances that are known precursors of injurious falls. Connected wearable sensors can also be used for continuous monitoring of physical, physiological, and psychological status in real-life conditions. Additionally, wearable sensors integrated with biofeedback, virtual reality, or augmented reality systems have been proposed to administer therapeutic exercises at home, through telehealth platforms, on in the clinic, to mitigate physical and cognitive decline and promote engagement and adherence through gamification.

Moreover, robotic orthoses and exoskeletons are being developed to support therapeutic exercises in the elderly and as mobility aids that compensate for diminished strength and endurance. Emerging mobile and wearable robotic companions help seniors remain active and encourage social connectedness.

In this Special Issue, we welcome original contributions and review papers related to the development and validation of innovative wearable technologies to objectively assess and/or promote physical, cognitive, and social function in older adults, with the ultimate goal of improving independence and quality of life.

Theme Topics

We welcome contributions on the following topics:

- Wearable sensing devices and related data analysis procedures for:

• activity monitoring and motion analysis in controlled or real-life conditions
• assessment/monitoring of physical, cognitive, or psychological function
• digital biomarkers
• instrumented clinical assessments
• telehealth
• exercise interventions using biofeedback, VR, or AR

- Robotic systems:

• powered orthoses and mobility aids for assistance or rehabilitation
• robot companions (social robots)

Special Issue Editors

Sunil K. Agrawal, PhD, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University (US)

Lorenzo Chiari, PhD, Professor of Ageing and Rehabilitation Engineering, University of Bologna (Italy)

Damiano Zanotto, PhD, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology (US)