EAPSI:A Biometric Data Recording and Interface Platform using Augmented Reality and Wearable Devices

Bond Kyle A, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

Chemotherapy-induced baldness has a very serious mental and emotional impact on cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and is especially difficult for women, whose hair is a part of their identity. Chemotherapy patients often have severe side effects from the chemotherapy medication, including nausea, fainting, anemia, low blood pressure, and interrupted sleep patterns. This project will investigate assistive devices to improve the self-image and quality of life for cancer patients. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Professor Jun Dong Cho, Director of the Human ICT Convergence Research Lab (H-Lab) at Sungkyunkwan University. The H-Lab currently works with medical staff at Kangbuk Samsung Medical Center (KSMC) on several research projects, including interacting with cancer patients at KSMC to determine how they react to assistive devices. The PI will explore ways to improve assistive devices in light of feedback from the patient and clinician perspective. Specifically, this project seeks to build and evaluate a Smart Wig that not only covers the scalp of the patient, returning a sense of normalcy and psychological well-being to the patient, but also contains a suite of onboard sensors to monitor the patients? vital signs and alert their physician when something is amiss. The Smart Wig will also interface to a Smart Mirror, which will be designed as an augmented reality display to allow the patient to stand in front of the mirror and, based upon their body type and surrounding environment, choose a wig to wear for the day, as well as a history of the current and previously recorded biometric data. This project will prove especially beneficial for chemotherapy-induced alopecia patients, as very few research teams are actively researching assistive technology to help improve the self-image of these patients, in addition to improving their quality of care. This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the National Science Foundation of Korea.