We can collect a wide range of data about a person using sensors. Examples include sensors that measure how much patients move in their daily lives, but also a blood pressure monitor, oxygen saturation monitor or GPS trackers.
From data to information
The big challenge is to produce useful information from all the data that such sensors collect; data that can be used to monitor people, coach them or warn a doctor if necessary. That requires smart decision support that analyses the data and acts when something abnormal or undesirable happens.
Wide variety of applications
We combine all our knowledge and experience in user-friendly, scientifically proven, effective and clinically relevant monitoring and coaching systems for a wide range of target groups. We implement not only new sensors but also state-of-the-art behaviour models to provide effective coaching. The applications we are working on vary from a coaching app to help prevent neck and shoulder complaints to a system that detects if people with the initial stages of dementia are exhibiting abnormal behaviour.
Research into coaching
We are investigating, among other things, in which area specific target groups would like to receive advice as well as how we can motivate people to continue using the coaching for a longer time and ultimately change their behaviour. Besides this, we are also focusing on long-term research into the technological possibilities of the future. For example, can we produce self-learning virtual coaches that respond in the same manner as a human coach?
Target groups
This type of research at RRD started among chronic pain patients, but has now been expanded to include COPD, heart failure, cancer, the initial stages of dementia, and elderly people in general.
Projects
SmartWork – Smart Age-friendly Living and Working Environment
The SmartWork project (H2020) builds a worker-centric AI system to support active and healthy ageing at work for older office workers. The aim is to keep ageing people working for longer by supporting them with unobtrusive sensing and monitoring of their health, behaviour, cognitive and emotional status, and responding to their needs.
HOLOBALANCE – Hologram coaching platform
In HOLOBALANCE (Horizon 2020) we are developing and validating a new personalized hologram coaching platform for virtual coaching, motivation and empowerment of the ageing population with balance disorders.
Council of Coaches – Multiple virtual coaches
In Council of Coaches, multiple virtual coaches form a personal council that supports the user in their health and well-being. Individual coaches have their own area of expertise, personality and style of coaching. Join a council meeting and learn how you can take control of your own health!
GOAL – Motivating game platform
The project GOAL (Horizon 2020) is working on a system in which good behaviour (physical activity, memory training and social activities) is rewarded with points. The points can currently be used in games, and will also be tradable for other pleasant rewards in the future.
Please contact
Hermie studied biomedical engineering at the University of Twente and subsequently became head of the research group at Roessingh, Centre for Rehabilitation. In 1990 he was co-founder and first director of RRD. He did his PhD on surface EMG, became professor in Neuromuscular Control (2001) and later (2010) professor in Telemedicine. Currently he supervises 11 PhD students. 39 PhD students finished under his (co)supervision.
He is (co) author of over 500 peer reviewed publications and his work was cited over 18.500 times (H-index 6)1. He coordinated 3 European projects, including the Seniam project, now coordinating 2 European projects (Council of Coaches and Frail) and participated in over 25 other European projects.
Present functions include: director strategic research program “Personalised Health Technology” at UTwente, co-founder of VitaalTwente, Editor in chief of the JBMR, Past-President and fellow of ISEK.
Link to Google scholar
Harm is a senior researcher at RRD, responsible for the research track on “Human-Computer Interaction for Personal Care”. Harm holds a degree in technical computer science (BSc) and human media interaction (MSc) obtained from the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands. In 2014, Harm obtained his PhD degree with his thesis on “Smart Tailoring of Real-Time Physical Activity Coaching Systems”. Harm has worked in various European and national research projects (FP6: AMIDA, FP7: eWALL, AAL: IS-ACTIVE). His current research focus lies on developing and evaluating innovative ICT services that improves the human-computer interaction element of telemedicine / eHealth systems through state of the art AI and personalization.
Publications:
op den Akker H, Cabrita M, op den Akker HJA, Jones VM, Hermens HJ (2015). Tailored motivational message generation: A model and practical framework for real-time physical activity coaching. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 55, 104–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2015.03.005
op den Akker H, Jones VM, Hermens HJ (2014). Tailoring real-time physical activity coaching systems: a literature survey and model. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, Special Issue Personal Behaviour Changes, 24(5), 351–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11257-014-9146-y
op den Akker H, Tabak M, Marin-Perianu M, Huis in ’t Veld MHA, Jones VM, Hofs DHW (2012), et al. Development and Evaluation of a Sensor-Based System for Remote Monitoring and Treatment of Chronic Diseases – the Continuous Care & Coaching Platform. In: Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on e-Health Services and Technologies (EHST 2012). Geneva, Switzerland, 19–27.
op den Akker H, Jones VM, Hermens HJ (2010). Predicting Feedback Compliance in a Teletreatment Application. In: Proceedings of ISABEL 2010: the 3rd International Symposium on Applied Sciences in Biomedical and Communication Technologies. Rome, Italy.
op den Akker H. Smart Tailoring of Real-Time Physical Activity Coaching Systems (PhD Thesis). University of Twente; 2014
Link to ORCID profile: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6312-6063