PRE2023 1 Group2

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Nutrition check and monitoring for the elderly.


Group members

Name Student ID Department
YooungGi Park 1534718 Computer Science and Engineering
Zabiollah Amiri 1522175 Electrical Engineering
Thomas Paul Smids 1684329 Computer Science and Engineering
Rune Bal 1755897 Biomedical Engineering


Introduction & Problem Statement

Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is essential at every stage of life[1], but it takes on even greater significance as we age. For our elderly population, proper nutrition becomes a vital cornerstone of well-being, impacting both the quality of life and overall health. As we age, our nutritional needs change, and we need to pay special attention to the foods we consume. However even a well-balanced diet can be insufficient in case of improper food intake.

In our elderly population forgetfulness, and diseases like Alzheimer's[2] or Dementia can really impact proper food intake. This could for example lead to skipping these essential meals, or conversely eating to much as a consequence of forgetting that one has eaten before.

The device we will be developing will be one that reminds the our elders by monitoring their food intake, when it is necessary to eat, and when this is not the case, ensuring that the individual will eat their meals regularly, ensuring proper food intake.

Requirements

MoSCoW

In this section the requirements of the product will be specified, using the MoSCoW method. Meaning the requirements of our product are sorted into 4 categories: Must have, Should have, Could have and Won't have.

1. Must have

  • Retrieve and record data concerning the users blood sugar level.
  • Analyze a users intake routine and the quantity of a nutrient intake.
  • When an anomaly has been detected alert the user or a responsible person.
  • Easy to have on person at all times.

2. Should have

  • A long battery life or support for an electronic device with long battery life.
  • Have an intuitive alert system.
  • If any, have an intuitive UI (User Interface).
  • Be physically robust.

3. Could have

  • Retrieve data concerning other basic medical information, such as blood pressure, hydration level.
  • Report conclusions about the data to a Doctor or responsible person.

4. Won't have

  • Be able to compare user nutrient intake to their recommended intake.
  • Be able to retrieve data concerning advanced medical information, such as amount of various vitamins or various ions.

The above requirements are not final and can still be changed during the process.

Users

User Profile

In this section, we will provide a detailed profile of the users of the our monitoring device. Understanding needs, and challenges of our target users is essential for designing our device.

1. Demographics

  • Age: The typical age range of people with Alzheimer's disease who will use our device varies but is generally older adults. The primary users are typically aged 65 and older.
  • Gender: Alzheimer's disease affects both males and females, with no gender-specific considerations impacting device usage.[3]

2. Medical Condition

  • Alzheimer's disease: Users of the device are likely to have varying stages and severities of Alzheimer's disease. Some users may be in the early stages, coping with mild cognitive impairment, while others may be in the later stages with severe cognitive handicaps. Common symptoms include memory loss, confusion, disorientation, difficulty with decision-making, and reduced motor functions. Challenges include medication management, food intake, and recognizing the need for medical attention.[4]

3. Cognitive Abilities

  • Cognitive impairment: The extent of cognitive impairment in our user group can range from mild to severe. Many users will experience difficulty in understanding and operating complex devices. Therefore the device should be simple, work with clear visual cues, and need minimal user input so that the device can be used effectively.
  • Memory loss: Memory loss is a common symptom of Alzheimer's disease. Users may have difficulty recalling recent events, which can impact their ability to remember device usage instructions and data generated by the device.

4. Caregiver

  • Involvement of caregivers: Caregivers play a vital role in assisting users with Alzheimer's disease. They may be responsible for device setup, maintenance, and interpretation of data. The device should have features that facilitate caregiver involvement while respecting the user's privacy.
  • Caregiver characteristics: Caregivers may have varying levels of experience and qualifications. Some may be family members, while others may be healthcare professionals. Designing the device to support different caregiver backgrounds and abilities is important.

5. Daily Activities

  • Daily Routine: Users often follow predictable routines, and the device should easily integrate into their daily activities. This may include reminders for meals, medication, and other daily tasks.


State of the art

Approach / Planning

Every monday at 9:30 a tutoring session will take place. After that an in-person meeting will take place. If the need arises for anymore meetings, they will be scheduled. Further communication will be done through a whatsapp group.

Week Task Associated Milestone
1 Planning
1 Literature Research Phase 1


Milestones

Phase 1 Subject Research

  1. Find Subject
  2. Literature studies
    • What is the main goal of this subject/product?
    • What limitations are there?
    • What do we want to achieve?
  8. Survey
    • Discover a more in depth individual user needs.


Phase 2 Design

  1. Conceptual design
    • Come up with multiple designs for the subject, identify strength and weakness of each design, and analyze key aspects for the product.
  2. Requirements review
    • Identify functional/non-functional requirements.
      • Identify MSCW(MoSCow method).
      • Be more specific for software design.
        • ex) “The device should ring when the signal is on within x seconds”.
    • Identify technical requirements
      • Identify which skills will be required
        1. Programming language.
        2. Soldering …
      • Required resources
        • What we need to actually build the product.
  3. Final design concept
    • Based on findings from the requirement review, we create final design concept for the next phase.


Phase 3 Build and implementation

  1. Concept drawing or First design using CAD
  2. Software design
    • Based on Requirement review from Phase 2.
  3. Hardware design
    • Based on Final design concept.


Phase 4 First prototype, test and evaluation

  1. Finish first prototype
  2. Testing
    • Test individual components.
    • Test software and hardware combined.
  3. Evaluate results
    • Check the quality of the product.
    • See if there is improvements that can be made within the given time.

Phase 5 Final Documentation

  1. Final presentation/ video/ discussion


Deliverables

Task division

Personal Efforts

Week 1
Name Time Spent Breakdown
YooungGi Park 8~9 lecture, meeting, subject research, wiki edit(Milestones)
Zabiollah Amiri
Thomas Paul Smids

References

  1. ↑ Ludwig DS. Lifespan Weighed Down by Diet. JAMA. 2016;315(21):2269–2270. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.3829
  2. ↑ Tamura, B. K. M. D., Masaki, K. H. M. D., & Blanchette, P. L. M. D. M. P. H. (2008). Weight loss in patients with alzheimer's disease. Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, 26(3-4), 21–38. https://doi.org/10.1300/J052v26n03_02
  3. ↑ What are the signs of Alzheimer’s disease? (n.d.). National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-are-signs-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=For%20most%20people%20with%20Alzheimer's,30s%2C%20although%20this%20is%20rare.
  4. ↑ Symptomen alzheimer | Alzheimer Nederland. (n.d.). Alzheimer Nederland. https://www.alzheimer-nederland.nl/dementie/soorten-vormen/ziekte-van-alzheimer/symptomen
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