Wearable sensors to create person-centered healthcare, Dr. Kunal Mankodiya
Dr. Kunal Mankodiya explains his focus on creating “a wearable platform” to collect contextual data (rather than continuously record information) in real time, combining wearable sensors and smart devices. He talks about creating intelligent algorithms to process and store only relevant data. Dr. Kunal Mankodiya presents his SPARK- wearable sensor and smartwatch project currently in clinical trials with Parkinson’s patients. He also introduces us to parallel projects and his collaboration with Dr.Neil Ryan psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh, to develop a neuroelectronic system that leverages functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) a noninvasive cerebral oximetry monitor to map brain activity. His goal is to diagnose patterns of emotions and ultimately the understanding of mental illness. Dr. Mankodiya contemplates the possibilities of intervention in neurodegenerative diseases through wearable sensors. Spoiler Alert: he also hints at developing inertia sensors in women’s high heel shoes, to create a balancing effect, counteract and alleviate pain. Interviewed by Venetia I. Kyritsi for Tech Talks Central.
Kunal Mankodiya, Dr.
Assistant professor Dept. of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, in the USA
Assistant professor in the Dept. of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA. Received Ph.D. degree in computer science from the University of Luebeck, Germany, with an emphasis on wearable health monitoring. B.E. (Saurashtra University, India) and M.Sc. (University of Luebeck, Germany) degrees in Biomedical Engineering (BME). Has published a number of journal and conference articles and book chapters in the areas of BME, embedded computing, human-computer interaction, digital signal processing, and robotics. Published a book on wearable health monitoring that serves as a hands-on guide to program high-end embedded processors for healthcare applications. Member of IEEE and ACM and serves in the professional society in various capacities, including technical program committees of MobiHealth, HealthyIOT, S-CUBE, CSSWearable, and UWCSN. Pursues research in the fields of wearable body sensor networks, medical embedded systems, pervasive healthcare, and medical cyber-physical systems.
His research areas include: Wearable body sensor networks, Pervasive healthcare, Medical cyber-physical systems and Neural engineering
Specialties: Wearable Biosensors
Interviewed at the MOBIHEALTH 2014, the 4th International Conference on Wireless Mobile Communication and Healthcare - "Transforming healthcare through innovations in mobile and wireless technologies", that took place in Athens, Greece, November 3–5, 2014