Development of an Automated 30 Second Chair Stand Test Using Smartwatch Application

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2019 Jul:2019:2474-2477. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2019.8857003.

Abstract

This paper presents development of the smartwatch application for automation of the standard 30 Second Chair Stand Test (30SCST). 30SCST is primarily used to test leg strength and endurance, but also speed and mobility and assess risk of falls. We use inertial signals on smartwatch to detect and count stands during the test. The application notifies the user to start and stop the test using vibration on the smartwatch. Synchronization of notifications and signal acquisition allows assessment of user's response time during the test. Our application monitors baseline heart rate before the test, heart rate increase during the test, and heart rate recovery after the test that might allow assessment of cardiovascular fitness of the user. The application is developed using Wear OS and tested on two smartwatch platforms: Fossil G4 and Polar M600. Pilot test included 12 subjects, six male and six female (mean age 39.1, S.D. 19 years). Overall accuracy of detection of the number of standups is 98.8%. Smartwatch application can be used for automated testing in clinical setups as well as for self-monitoring at home.

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls* / prevention & control
  • Adult
  • Automation
  • Female
  • Fitness Trackers*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle Strength*
  • Physical Endurance*
  • Risk Assessment