Investigating Smart Wearable Systems for Workplace Wellness Management

Japan is a leading example of a nation with a rapidly ageing society and currently consists of the highest proportion of elderly adults worldwide. Among others, this has led to a series of downstream concerns, including labour shortage issues and reduced ability of working individuals to finance those who are retired. As one of the strategies to address these concerns, combined government and society-wide efforts over recent years have encouraged greater employment opportunities for elderly. However, given that elders are often more prone to age-related difficulties, such as decreased physical and cognitive function, this higher proportion of working elders gives rise to a pressing need for an effective workplace wellness management system. Hence, this project aims to investigate the physiological differences between a “healthy” and “diseased” worker as well as to refine the tolerance that is used when differentiating between the two states. By exploring various ways of defining the health-disease boundary, the project will reduce the likelihood of false positives when identifying “disease”, thus improving confidence when separating the two states for use in real-world conditions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Arthur Chan

Student:

Partner:

Osaka University

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program: