Tracking Back Posture with the Smart LUMOback Sensor

LUMO BodyTech, founded in 2011, has developed a wearable sensor and smartphone application to monitor an individual’s posture.

According to the NHS, between the periods 2010 to 2011, over seven million working days were lost as a consequence of work-related injuries relating to musculoskeletal disorders. Bad posture is a key contributor to back pain – a common problem that often gets reported in a work environment.

Treatment of back pain to maintain activity is normally in the form of OTC painkillers or physiotherapy, though despite these methods for recovery, being immobile for long periods of time (e.g., when sitting at a desk) can weaken the back muscles and aggravate back pain.

The LUMOback^TM Posture Sensor is a smart posture and movement feedback system by LUMO BodyTech and compatible with Apple®, iPhone®, 5S, 5C, 5, 4S, iPad® (3^rd and 4^th gen), iPad Mini and iPod Touch® (5^th gen). The sensor device is worn by the user as a strap.

This sensor is sophisticated enough to detect when the user is slouching and, in response to this, it will gently vibrate and alert the user to improve their posture. The device can be synced with an iSO component, an ideal function to help the user keep track of activities including the length of time spent sitting down.

There has been an extensive amount of research invested in the development of the LUMOback^TM Posture Sensor with input from spine physicians and physical therapists coming together to identify a suitable biomedical model to integrate into this sensor. A key feature to note is the use of personalized calibration algorithms that can help adapt the sensor to each user’s body type.

Allowing the user to achieve a neutral posture is what makes this device so interesting. Experts in back pain and posture do suggest that a neutral pelvic position is ideal for maintaining a great posture. The LUMOback^TM Posture Sensor is designed to identify the pelvic tilt and, if this is not neutral, the device uses a feedback mechanism to help guide the user into maintaining a neutral position.

This sensor could become a key component to help reduce work-related injuries in occupational settings that often contribute to musculoskeletal disorders. By making the user aware of bad posture, the LUMOback^TM Posture Sensor can intuitively retrain and help make the user consciously aware of maintaining a neutral body posture and thus prevent back injury.

Sources and Further Reading

• NHS – Back Pain at Work

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