Wheelchair monitoring system and method

Abstract

To provide a safety confirmation and watching system and method for performing monitoring / watching while calling for safety during daily activities and movement of wheelchair users.SOLUTION: A monitoring system of the present invention is a monitoring system in which a user communication terminal device on the side of a wheelchair user and a supervisor communication terminal device on the side of a supervisor are connected to a cloud server via communication means. Wheelchair behavior conditions for the wheelchair user are pre-programmed and stored on the cloud network. If the behavior conditions deviate or are likely to deviate in light of behavior information on the wheelchair, an alert signal or behavior guideline signal is transmitted to the user communication terminal device and the supervisor communication terminal device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety confirmation, monitoring system and method that arouse the safety of wheelchair users during daily activities and movement, and perform monitoring and watching.

Background Art

[0002] Wheelchairs play an important role as a means of movement for the elderly and disabled. With the progress of an aging society, the use of wheelchairs is on the increase. Detecting, treating, and responding to abnormal situations in daily life associated with wheelchair use, such as accidents, disabilities, and wandering, at an early stage has become an important social issue. As the use of wheelchairs expands and is also applied to rehabilitation and health management, and the user's range of action becomes free and extensive due to automatic navigation and automatic driving, the monitoring of wheelchair users has become an urgent issue. Detecting the occurrence of an abnormal situation or the possibility thereof, arousing the attention of the elderly, disabled, etc. (hereinafter, "wheelchair users"), performing a safety check, and the necessity of early response to an abnormal situation are not only for wheelchair users, but also for caregivers, relatives, family members, facility managers, etc. who monitor or accompany (hereinafter, "monitors").

[0003] Furthermore, it is required to reduce the time required as much as possible for monitors who always accompany or provide care, and to achieve labor and effort savings. Wheelchair users also hope to reduce the burden on monitors and expand their range of action and activity as freely as possible. Various technologies for preventing wheelchair abnormalities and accidents have been disclosed conventionally. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for detecting an obstacle by an object sensor of a wheelchair and preventing a collision and an accident. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for performing speed control and accident prevention of a wheelchair using a speed sensor. These technologies only detect abnormal running of a wheelchair by a sensor attached to the wheelchair and perform speed control and accident prevention, which is control on the wheelchair side and insufficient for monitoring the behavior of the user.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a system that detects the user's seating information and biometric information and communicates it to hospitals, nursing care centers, and related parties. While this technology allows for the acquisition of seating status and biometric information using a mat sensor attached to the wheelchair and notification to a supervisor, it is only a one-way notification and is not satisfactory from the perspective of monitoring the wheelchair user's behavior and preventing accidents. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 1994-190007 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-79041 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-79584 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] This invention was made in view of the challenges that are necessary for both users of wheelchairs and other similar devices, as well as for those monitoring them, such as accident prevention, anomaly detection, and behavioral status confirmation, and aims to solve the following problems. (1) The operation and duties of wheelchair users and supervisors should be simplified as much as possible to allow for checking on the user's condition, issuing warnings, and responding to abnormal situations. (2) Provide monitoring systems and methods that promote the freedom and range of movement of wheelchair users, the supervision of caregivers, and the reduction of labor and manpower in caregiving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a means to solve these problems, the present invention provides a monitoring system for the elderly or disabled in which a user communication terminal device on the wheelchair user's side and a monitor communication terminal device on the monitor's side are connected to a cloud server via a communication means, wherein the cloud server recognizes the wheelchair behavior conditions for the wheelchair user. abilityThe system is pre-programmed and stored to include the range of movement, travel route, travel time, and user activity schedule, taking into account the characteristics of the wheelchair user, including the level of care required, degree of disability, rehabilitation status, and physical strength. If the activity conditions deviate from or are likely to deviate from the activity information of the wheelchair, a navigation guide is transmitted to the user communication terminal and the supervisor communication terminal as an activity guidance signal along with an alert signal.

[0008] Furthermore, the monitoring system in the present invention acquires the behavioral information of the wheelchair using a location information sensor and an abnormal signal detection sensor. Furthermore, the user communication terminal device is equipped with an emergency button, and an alert signal is transmitted to the supervisor communication terminal device upon operation by the wheelchair user, and the communication means is a communication means compliant with the LTE-M (Long Term Evolution for Machine-type Communication) communication method. It can also be configured in this way.

[0013] Furthermore, the means to solve the aforementioned problems can be used in combination whenever possible. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] In this invention, a network is formed between the wheelchair user's communication terminal and the monitoring terminal via a cloud server. If the wheelchair user's actions deviate from or are likely to deviate from pre-programmed behavioral conditions, an alert signal is automatically sent by the program, along with correction and behavioral guidelines. Furthermore, if an abnormality detection sensor on the user's side detects an accident, malfunction, or other abnormality in the wheelchair, an abnormality signal is sent to the monitoring side. Therefore, by applying this invention, it becomes possible to provide warnings, detect and prevent accidents, and detect and prevent abnormal situations in the wheelchair user even without a constant attendant, thereby reducing the workload and manpower required for supervision. Moreover, by incorporating a health management program into the behavioral conditions, rehabilitation, health management, and monitoring of the user can be effectively carried out. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a communication network in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]This is a flowchart showing the monitoring and confirmation process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that in this description, all drawings in the embodiments are schematic diagrams for illustrative purposes of the present invention, and means and configurations that are necessarily and naturally present are omitted. Furthermore, the dimensions and shapes are not precise. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components are not intended to limit the technical scope of the invention to those elements alone.

[0017] In this invention, the term "wheelchair" primarily refers to manual or electric wheelchairs used by the elderly and people with disabilities. However, it is not limited to wheelchairs as defined in the Road Traffic Act. It can also be applied to senior scooters, rehabilitation hand-paddled or foot-paddled wheelchairs, electric carts, bicycles, tricycles, and other vehicles used by users who require supervision, monitoring, care, or rehabilitation.

[0018] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a communication network in an embodiment of the present invention. The user communication terminal (or terminal device) 1 on the wheelchair user's side and the monitor communication terminal (or terminal device) 2 on the monitor's side are connected to a cloud server 4 via a communication network 3. This communication network 3 can be any wireless communication line, such as a telephone line or an internet communication line such as WiFi, but it is preferable to use an LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) network, which is suitable for IoT (Internet of Things), and especially a communication method called LTE-M (Long Term Evolution for Machine-type Communication).

[0019] The LTE-M communication method has several advantages, including: it is suitable for mobile communication because the handover function prevents communication interruptions even while moving; it does not require constant communication, only when necessary such as in emergencies, so it requires very little data communication capacity; it can be designed with extremely low power consumption; and the firmware can be updated via communication (remote update). Furthermore, for IoT applications, it can be used at extremely low communication costs because it is configured to communicate only when necessary or intermittently every few minutes from the user terminal device to the cloud. For these reasons, it is suitable as a terminal for wheelchair users of the present invention, and a terminal device that is inexpensive, compact, and can be used for a long time can be constructed.

[0020] The user communication terminal device 1 is installed in a position on the wheelchair that is easy for wheelchair users to operate, such as on a handrail. This user terminal device 1 is easily attached and detached using magnets, and is configured to be removed and carried by the user when they leave the wheelchair.

[0021] The user communication terminal device 1 comprises a transmitting / receiving unit 5 and an output unit 6. The transmitting / receiving unit 5 is composed of a modulation / demodulation circuit (modem), a communication antenna, etc., adapted to the communication method, so as to communicate with the monitor communication terminal device 2 and the cloud server 4 via the communication network means 3. The output unit 6 outputs the received instruction and command signals as audio signals and optical signals, and displays them using a speaker 7 or a lamp 8.

[0022] In addition, the user communication terminal device 1 includes a motion detection sensor 9. This motion detection sensor 9 is composed of an abnormality detection sensor using any one or a combination of a position information GPS sensor, a gyro sensor, a compass sensor, and an acceleration sensor. The GPS sensor acquires and transmits the position information of the wheelchair user. Also, the gyro sensor, compass sensor and / or acceleration sensor are used for detecting the movement of the wheelchair and the user, and function as an abnormality detection sensor for detecting accidents such as falls and collisions. When some or all of these motion detection sensors 9 are provided on the wheelchair body, the user terminal device 1 may receive various sensor signals from the motion detection sensors installed on the wheelchair body and transmit a motion detection signal.

[0023] Furthermore, the user terminal device 1 is equipped with an emergency button 10. In case of an emergency or an unexpected situation, the wheelchair user can simply press the emergency button to transmit an abnormal situation as an abnormal detection sensor signal. Also, a safety confirmation button 11 is provided to request safety confirmation from the caregiver side and confirm by the user side that there is no abnormal situation.

[0024] On the other hand, the caregiver communication terminal device 2 on the caregiver side is mainly composed of an input unit 12, a transceiver unit 13, a display unit 14, etc. The caregiver is a caregiver, attendant, relative of the wheelchair user, or a manager of a hospital or care facility. The caregiver terminal device 2 sets the action criteria, action conditions, life schedule, etc. of the user for these caregivers to monitor the wheelchair user, and transmits instructions and commands to the wheelchair user.

[0025] The behavior criteria for wheelchair users are, for example, the basic constraints when using a wheelchair considering the characteristics of the user, such as the user's awareness, degree of care, degree of disability, rehabilitation status, physical strength, etc. It includes the appropriateness of the wheelchair that can be used according to the user (availability / non-availability / conditional use of the wheelchair, manual or electric wheelchair, necessity of a constant attendant, etc.), the contact network with hospitals, fire departments, and relatives in case of abnormal occurrences, wandering, or disappearance. Also, the action conditions are various conditions for moving using a wheelchair, such as the geographical range, travel route, means of transportation, weather conditions, usage period, usage time, rehabilitation items, etc. that are available for use with a wheelchair. Moreover, the daily schedule refers to the daily behavior patterns and predetermined schedules of the user, such as meal times, medication intake times, rehabilitation times, bedtime, etc.

[0026] The monitor inputs in advance, from the input unit 12 of the monitor communication terminal device 2, the behavior criteria, action conditions, daily schedule, rehabilitation items, etc. that conform to the above-mentioned user characteristics, and inputs them into the action condition program 16 in the cloud server 4 via the transmission unit 12 and the communication network 3. In this action condition program 16, according to the usage conditions regarding the user's wheelchair use that are input and set in advance, instructions and commands are sent to the user terminal device 1 via the communication network 3. The wheelchair terminal device 1 holds a GPS sensor, and the position information of the wheelchair user is transmitted regularly. In the action condition program 16, when the wheelchair user deviates from the action conditions such as the set moving range and travel route, or there is a possibility of deviation, an automatically preset caution signal (alert) or an action guideline (guide) by a voice signal is issued, and it is programmed to be transmitted as a voice signal or a light caution signal by the display means of the speaker 7 or the lamp 8.

[0027] This behavioral condition program 16 sets conditions for each wheelchair user according to their individual characteristics, such as cognitive level, care level, disability, and rehabilitation degree. These conditions include the geographical area, travel route, mode of transport, weather conditions, time of use, duration of use, daily activity patterns and prescribed schedules, and rehabilitation / health management items. The program also pre-sets and programs monitoring instructions for when these conditions are not met.

[0028] To set the geographical area and route of such behavioral condition programs, the conditions are entered by determining the wheelchair-accessible area and route on the map displayed on the display unit 14 of the supervisor terminal device 2, and then registered in the behavioral condition program 16 on the cloud. On the wheelchair side, GPS location information is acquired, and when setting the route, it can also be configured to send voice guidance (behavioral guidelines) to the wheelchair user.

[0029] In the behavioral condition program 16, GPS location information transmitted from the wheelchair user terminal device 1 is compared with the registered restriction conditions on the map. If the user deviates from the designated area or travel route, or is likely to deviate from it, a warning signal (alert) and navigation guidance (behavioral guidelines) such as destination guidance are transmitted to the user terminal device 1 and the supervisor terminal device 2 by a program that has been set up. This warning signal is indicated by an audible alert and flashing lights on the user terminal device 1 and the supervisor terminal device.

[0030] In the transportation aspect of the behavioral condition program 16, conditions are set for wheelchair-accessible buses, taxis, trains, etc. For weather conditions, in addition to restrictions on use due to weather, a program that regularly provides weather forecasts is also possible. Furthermore, the usage period and time are set to predetermined dates and times. In addition, daily behavioral patterns and schedules are set, such as meal times, medication times, and scheduled hospital visit times, and alert signals or voice navigation guides are issued to ensure that the user returns home or goes to a designated location by the predetermined time. Since such weather condition information and schedule information can be predicted in advance, the system is configured to issue alert signals or navigation guides (behavioral guidelines) if there is a risk of deviating from the behavioral conditions, taking into account the time of return home, etc., before detecting whether the behavioral conditions are met or not.

[0031] This alert signal consists of an audio signal and a flashing light signal. For the audio signal, messages are registered to output specific instruction and command signals as audio. For example, if the vehicle deviates from the designated area, it may say "You are outside the designated area!" or "You have deviated from your driving route!" Regarding weather conditions, it may say "Bad weather (wind, rain, thunderstorms) is approaching!" For schedules, it may say "It's time for a meal (medication, rehabilitation, going home)!" Along with these audio warning signals, it is desirable to configure the system to also provide navigation instructions such as "Let's go home quickly!", "Let's turn back!", or "Follow the navigation system!". Various patterns of such audio alert signals are constructed by combining various possible conditions in the behavior condition setting program.

[0032] In either case, if a wheelchair user deviates from the specified behavioral conditions, or is at risk of deviating from them, a programmed alert signal, adapted to the respective conditions, is transmitted to the user terminal device 1 and the supervisor terminal device 2. Upon receiving the alert signal, the user follows the instructions and changes their route to comply with the conditions or corrects their course to head towards the designated location. Furthermore, if the user continues to deviate from the behavioral conditions, the alert signal continues to be transmitted to the user terminal device 1 until the conditions are met. If the user still deviates from the conditions after a period of time, the automatic program transmits an audio signal instructing the user to press the emergency button 10 attached to the user terminal device 1. When the emergency button is pressed, the supervisor recognizes the emergency alert signal displayed on the supervisor terminal device 2 and takes measures to dispatch rescuers or send rescuers from a nearby police station or support center, according to the user's degree of disability and characteristics.

[0033] The behavioral condition program 16 pre-sets behavioral conditions for wheelchair users to a predictable extent, tailored to the specific characteristics of wheelchair users. Many of these behavioral conditions are set by a supervisor, taking into account the user's daily routine and schedule, as well as weather and traffic information on the day of use, and registered in the behavioral condition program 16. The conditions to be registered in the behavioral condition program 16 are listed as a program table (supervision record). Wheelchair users can move freely within the set range of activity without the supervision of a supervisor. In this invention, even if the user deviates from the behavioral conditions set by the supervisor, the system warns the user with alert signals and behavioral guidelines via voice signals, light signals, etc., but it does not directly guide the wheelchair or forcibly control its movement.

[0034] When a wheelchair user moves without an attendant, various abnormal situations can occur even if the movement conditions are restricted. Therefore, the user terminal device 1 is equipped with a gyro sensor, compass sensor, and / or acceleration sensor as an action detection sensor 9 for detecting abnormalities. These various sensors work to detect accidents such as falls and collisions of the wheelchair or user, and if an abnormality is detected by the sensor, an abnormality alert signal is automatically sent to the monitor terminal device 2. When an abnormality (accident) detection signal is sent from the action detection sensor 9, the action condition program 16 asks the user via voice signal to press the safety confirmation button 11 to confirm whether it is an accident. However, obtaining a confirmation signal from this safety confirmation button 11 is a confirmation of the user's awareness and cognitive state, and the monitor will take rescue measures regardless of whether or not this safety confirmation button is pressed. The communication line for pressing the emergency button 10 or safety confirmation button 11 by the user and for sending the abnormality (accident) detection signal by the abnormality detection sensor is configured to continuously transmit signals via a constant connection, rather than the usual intermittent communication.

[0035] Furthermore, the present invention can also be configured to include a health management program as an action condition program. This health management program sets rehabilitation and health management items for wheelchair users and measures the amount of exercise associated with wheelchair movement. Such a function can be applied not only to the elderly and disabled people undergoing rehabilitation, but also to healthy individuals and athletes who use the hand-propulsion and foot-propulsion functions of a wheelchair for health management and physical fitness enhancement. Using GPS navigation data acquired by the action detection sensor 9 in the wheelchair terminal device, the distance traveled is calculated, stored, and recorded. This data is then compared with previously acquired characteristics of the wheelchair user to record health management data such as calorie calculations, muscle mass, and fat mass estimation in the health management program, which can be used to improve health management and sports performance.

[0036] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the main flow of navigation in the wheelchair monitoring method according to the present invention. In wheelchair monitoring, understanding location information and performing navigation is the most important element. On the supervisor's side, wheelchair activity conditions are set considering the user's characteristics based on the map displayed on the display 15 of the supervisor communication terminal device 2 (Step 1, hereinafter referred to as S1), and are pre-registered in the activity condition program 16 in the cloud server 4 (S2). These activity conditions determine the range in which the user can move around in a wheelchair from their residence or facility, and are input and set considering the user's characteristics (level of care required, cognitive level, physical strength, etc.). Among the activity conditions, the activity area range condition can be set as a radius of several kilometers centered on the residence, such as a house or facility, or by inputting the area and address. In addition, the travel route can be determined in advance and navigation can be performed on the wheelchair side by voice output.

[0037] In this behavioral condition setting step (S1), in addition to the behavioral area range conditions, the mode of transport, weather conditions, time of use, duration of use, and lifestyle schedule are also set and registered and recorded in the behavioral condition program 16 on the cloud server 4 (S2).

[0038] From the wheelchair, location information is periodically acquired by the GPS sensor installed in the user communication terminal device 1 (S3), and the location information is transmitted from the terminal device 1 to the behavioral condition program 16 in the cloud (S4). In the behavioral condition program 16, the wheelchair's location information is constantly compared with the registered behavioral conditions, and a pass / fail determination is made to determine whether the behavioral conditions are met (S5). If the behavioral conditions are met in the pass / fail determination step (S5), monitoring continues. If the behavioral conditions are not met, an alert signal (first alert signal) is issued (S6).

[0039] The pass / fail determination of whether the behavioral conditions are met takes into account not only the range of activity based on location information but also other registered behavioral conditions. For example, regarding weather conditions, if bad weather is predicted, the behavioral condition will be deemed unsuccessful and an alert signal will be issued. Also, if the registered usage time or lifestyle schedule conditions are deviated from, the behavioral conditions will be restricted and an audio alert signal corresponding to the deviated conditions will be issued. As mentioned above, in addition to the alert content, this alert signal will also include instructions and commands such as returning home or changing the route, all transmitted via audio. Furthermore, even if the range of activity conditions based on location information are met, if other conditions are not met, an alert signal indicating a deviation from the conditions set at that time will be issued (S6).

[0040] The transmitted first alert signal is received by the user communication terminal device 1 (S7) and similarly by the monitor communication terminal device 2 (S8). If the wheelchair user recognizes the alert signal and takes an action that matches the behavioral conditions in accordance with the instructions and commands, the periodically transmitted wheelchair location information is corrected and transmitted to the behavioral condition program 16 in the cloud (S9). Program 16 determines whether the behavioral conditions have been corrected and whether the conditions are now met (S10). In this determination of whether the conditions have been corrected (S10), if the correction is found (Yes), the behavioral conditions are met, and monitoring and supervision are continued.

[0041] If, despite the issuance of the first alert, the determination of whether there are any correction conditions indicates no correction (No), the user is still not meeting the behavioral conditions. In such cases, the system observes the user for a while and then, after an appropriate time, issues the next alert signal (second alert signal) (S11). This second alert signal is received by the user communication terminal device 1 (S12) and also by the supervisor communication terminal device 2 (S14), similar to the first alert signal. If the wheelchair user recognizes the second alert signal and takes action in accordance with the instructions and commands to meet the behavioral conditions, corrected location information is transmitted (S13), and the program 16 determines again whether the behavioral conditions are met (S15). If there is a correction (Yes), the user is meeting the behavioral conditions, and monitoring and supervision continue.

[0042] However, if the issue is still not resolved despite the second alert (No), it is considered a potential emergency, and an emergency inquiry message registered in the action condition program 16 is issued (S16), and the emergency signal continues to flash repeatedly. This emergency confirmation message and emergency signal are received by the user's terminal device 1 (S17) and simultaneously by the supervisor's communication terminal 2 (S18). The emergency inquiry message instructs the user to press the safety confirmation button 11 on the communication terminal 1, such as "If there are no problems, please press the safety confirmation button!" or "If there are no problems, please follow the driving route instructions!" (S16).

[0043] When a wheelchair user receives such an emergency inquiry message, if there is no problem, they press the safety confirmation button 11, and the behavioral condition program confirms that there is no problem (S19). If the user presses the safety confirmation button 11 in response to this inquiry message request and it is confirmed that there is no problem, monitoring and supervision will continue again. Even if the safety confirmation button 11 is not pressed, if the wheelchair user changes their route or makes other changes according to the designated route or instructions, it can be confirmed that there is no emergency, so the safety confirmation button 11 is not necessarily required.

[0044] If the safety confirmation button 11 is not pressed and there is no response from the user such as changing the route, the supervisor will determine that an abnormal situation has occurred and will take measures to dispatch rescuers or attendants, or to send rescuers from the nearest police station or support center, taking into consideration the degree and characteristics of the user's disability (S20).

[0045] These behavioral condition programs are always active when the wheelchair is in use, starting simultaneously with wheelchair activation and ending with the end of wheelchair use. These behavioral condition programs include guidance on the wheelchair user's range of movement and routes, as well as weather information, usage time, and the user's daily schedule. They are used not only to restrict behavioral conditions but also to periodically transmit this information to the user communication terminal device 1.

[0046] Furthermore, the user communication terminal device 1 is equipped with a wheelchair abnormality detection sensor consisting of a gyro sensor, compass sensor, acceleration sensor, or a combination thereof, which detects collisions and falls of the wheelchair. When the wheelchair collides or falls due to an accident and the abnormality detection sensor is activated, an abnormality detection signal is immediately transmitted to the behavioral condition program 16, an abnormality alert is notified to the supervisor communication terminal device 2, and a message such as "If you are alright, please press the safety confirmation button 11!" is sent to the user communication terminal device 1. The supervisor determines that an abnormality has occurred and takes measures to dispatch rescuers or attendants, or to contact a nearby police station or support center, taking into consideration the degree and characteristics of the user's disability.

[0047] In this invention, the term "monitoring person" primarily refers to a caregiver, attendant, relative of a wheelchair user, or administrator of a hospital or care facility. However, alerts for abnormal situations may be sent to local police, fire departments, security companies, or community watch groups, and monitoring terminal devices may be equipped to these monitoring persons to create a system for monitoring wheelchair users throughout the community.

[0048] In the embodiments described above, the wheelchair user monitoring system and monitoring method were primarily explained as software processing on the cloud side. However, these processing steps and functions may be incorporated into and executed on the user communication terminal device 1 and the supervisor communication terminal device 2, or they may be divided and executed separately.

[0049] Furthermore, the various wheelchair behavioral conditions transmitted from the behavioral condition program 16 in the cloud server 4 and the responses transmitted from the user-side terminal device 1 in this invention do not require a constantly bidirectional communication environment, but can be communicated through periodic and intermittent communication. The communication information consists of instructions, command information, and voice information, and since the communication capacity is extremely small, it can be configured as a small, lightweight communication terminal device using a communication network with a communication line that reduces communication costs, such as LTE-M. Of course, since smartphones, which are the most widely used and versatile mobile communication terminals in the market, possess many of the functions of this invention, it is also possible to incorporate a software program that can communicate with the behavioral condition program of this invention into a smartphone and use it as a user communication terminal device.

[0050] In this invention, wheelchair activity conditions are pre-set according to the characteristics of the wheelchair user, and the user's range of activity, travel route, schedule, weather conditions, etc. are monitored. If the activity conditions are deviated from, an alert signal is generated. Furthermore, if an abnormal situation such as a collision or fall occurs while moving in a wheelchair, the abnormal situation is automatically notified to the monitor. In addition, if any abnormal situation occurs with the wheelchair user, the emergency button is pressed to notify the monitor. By applying such a monitoring system and method, it becomes possible to alert wheelchair users even if an attendant or nurse is not constantly accompanying them, enabling accident detection and prevention, as well as detection and prevention of abnormal situations with the user, thus reducing the workload and manpower required for monitoring. Furthermore, by incorporating a health management program, health management and monitoring using wheelchairs can be effectively performed not only for the elderly and disabled people undergoing rehabilitation, but also for healthy individuals and athletes. [Industrial applicability]

[0051] As explained above, by applying this invention to the increasing use of wheelchairs, it becomes possible to automatically and regularly provide wheelchair users with guidance on their range of movement and routes, as well as various information, to detect and prevent accidents involving wheelchair users, thereby reducing the workload and manpower required for supervision, and thus has high potential for industrial application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1. User communication terminal device, 2. Supervisor communication terminal device, 3. Communication means, 4. Cloud server, 5. Transceiver unit, 6. Output unit, 7. Speaker, 8. Lamp, 9. Behavior detection sensor, 10. Emergency button, 11. Safety confirmation button, 12. Input unit, 13. Transceiver unit, 14. Display unit, 15. Display, 16. Behavior condition program

Claims

1. A monitoring system for the elderly or disabled in which a user communication terminal device on the wheelchair user's side and a monitor communication terminal device on the monitor's side are connected to a cloud server via a communication means, The aforementioned cloud server is pre-programmed and stored to include the range of movement, travel route, travel time, and user's activity schedule, taking into account the characteristics of the wheelchair user, including cognitive ability, level of care required, degree of disability, rehabilitation status, and physical strength, as conditions for wheelchair use for the wheelchair user. A monitoring system characterized in that, if the aforementioned behavioral conditions deviate from or are likely to deviate from the behavioral information of the wheelchair, a navigation guide is transmitted to the user communication terminal and the supervisor communication terminal as a behavioral guidance signal along with an alert signal.

2. The wheelchair acquires the behavioral information using a position information sensor and an abnormal signal detection sensor. The user communication terminal device is equipped with an emergency button, and an alert signal is transmitted to the supervisor communication terminal device when operated by the wheelchair user. The monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication means is a communication means compliant with the LTE-M (Long Term Evolution for Machine-type Communication) communication method.

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