Paper publication and presentation of project results in Body Sensor Networks (BSN 2015)

Paper publication and presentation of project results at the international conference Body Sensor Networks (BSN 2015) concerning the usage of the SHIMMER3 platform for the diagnosis of stress conditions: Christos Goumopoulos, Stress detection using Shimmer3 biosensors, Ensuring Authenticity in Sensing Systems with Shimmer Worksop, BSN 2015, Boston, US, 2015

ABSTRACT

In the ELTAB project we are examining tools to enhance the well-being of elderly people. Stress is a feeling of inexplicable anxiety, anguish and fear that can hurt the well-being of any person. In the case of elderly people, stress is the first symptom in the reaction of adaptation to physical disease that can then elaborate as depression. Physical disease in elderly usually is chronic and may deteriorate over time. In combination with other losses such as income, social status, death of friends and relatives can cause the development of adjustment disorder with depressive illness. Although there are effective methods of dealing with stress, this is often overlooked, underestimated or treated in the wrong way. Tools that can detect stress presence and provide reliable measurements in everyday environments are of paramount importance, both in a clinical context, to identify and monitor the progress of stress and in a research framework for its valid and reliable recording. We have developed an approach to detect and monitor stress that combines and correlates on the one hand psychometric tests and on the other hand biological signals. The state-trait anxiety inventory is used to assess the stress at the moment being examined (state anxiety) and as a feature of one's personality (trait anxiety). Shimmer3 Platinum Development Kit is used to measure and log bio signals that are related to stress detection. In particular, the ECG and GSR modules are used to measure heart rate variability features (mean heart rate, mean heartbeat interval) and galvanic skin response features (skin conductance level, skin conductance response, amplitude, latency). The accelerometer is also used to differentiate between a standing and a siting person. Currently, we are performing a user study with the participation of 12 elderly people. Our preliminary results show that heart rate, heartbeat interval (RR intervals) and the mean GSR are good indicators of stress

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