IVY TO THE RESCUE: EECS senior Jerry Luk is working on IVY, a wireless sensor network that detects human motion and location. The technology could be useful for monitoring the elderly.

EECS senior works on research project to give elderly care without sacrificing independence

Soon there could be much better help for people who have fallen and can’t get up. EECS senior Jerry Luk is working on the IVY research project, the first wireless sensor network with human applications.

Typically sensor networks measure the physical environment, gauging factors such as light, humidity or temperature. Luk is working with Ruzena Bajcsy, director of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and two graduate students to adapt these networks to measure human motion and pinpoint human location. There are many technical issues to tackle.

“Because human motion is nuanced, it’s difficult for sensors to tell the difference between falling and sitting down with force,” says Luk.

The group is also having problems integrating their hardware with the tiny operating system software used by other sensor networks. But once they iron out these glitches the results could be promising.

Luk, who is writing the drivers and software for IVY, says this technology would be useful for monitoring the elderly while still giving them privacy.

“If the motes worn by an elderly person detect a fall, then it would pinpoint the location and send help. It’s better than having a video camera in the home because it’s not as intrusive. Also it’s mobile,” adds Luk.

To smooth out the project’s current kinks, the team has purchased a crash test dummy for experiments and to find the optimal position on the body to put the motes.

“The dummy will be useful because I don’t want to be the guinea pig and fall down 20 times a day,” laughs Luk.

College of Engineering Home Page

Send comments to editnews@coe.berkeley.edu   © 2003 UC Regents