Software for automatic head position monitoring

The automatic head position monitoring system is designed for monitoring patient head after special ophthalmological operation called Vitrectomy. In the final phase of this operation a small amount of vitreous is replaced with a bubble of expansive gas or oil to push on recovering parts of the retina. Correct position of the head during recovery time is therefore important. The presented device provides periodical monitoring and logging the posture of the patient head. The patient is warned by sound alarm when his head position is incorrect. The digital three-axis MEMS accelerometer has been used for tilt sensing. Digital signal processing provided by microcontroller is used for noise reduction, tilt angle calculation and calibrating the sensor. Measured data are stored into flash memory. Data can be downloaded from the device using wireless communication interface. The developed computer software makes it possible to set up the device before treatment. It is also designed for measured data analyzing. The clinical specialist can assess the efficiency of the treatment. The described system helps the patient to keep a correct head posture. It is also a powerful diagnostic tool for clinical specialists. Therefore it will improve results of vitreoretinal surgery procedures.