Smart-phone based system to monitor walking activity: MHealth solution

Abstract

mHealth is an emerging research field that attracts health caregivers, researchers and application developers. mHealth solutions are based on sensors, mobile devices, and wireless networks to provide healthcare services to patients. mHealth enables professionals to make appropriate decisions and interventions, and patients can manage their activities of daily living independently. Walking activity is a very important indicator to evaluate the physical activity of people for healthy lifestyle. We present in this paper the design of our smart-phone based system to monitor walking activity that constitutes an assistive mHealth solution to notify people about the current level of their walking activity. In addition, we briefly review known existing mHealth solutions in order to clarify the techniques used to build mHealth solutions. We also discuss few challenges that face mHealth solutions.