Microsoft Kinect Research Aimed at Patient Safety Improvement

Falls are a major safety issue in hospitals, and the ability to predict and detect them immediately could improve patient care. So research being conducted on two motion-sensing technologies might have applications to inpatient care, as well as to assisted living and long-term-care facilities.

Researchers at the University of Missouri College of Engineering are investigating whether the Microsoft Kinect gaming system can be used to monitor changes in behavior and routines among patients at an assisted-living facility in Columbia, Mo. These changes can predict the likelihood of a patient falling...