Abstract
The elderly are prone to experience progressive skeletal muscle weakening due to aging, which will hinder their activities of daily living (ADLs) and take a toll on their, as well as caregivers’, psychological and physiological well-being. The neuromuscular electrical stimulation system (NMES) has the potential to serve as an alternative approach to counteracting the onset or aggravation of the sarcopenia process. In this dissertation, the effectiveness of the NMES technology in improving the functional strength and performance of the lower limb muscles, and the possibility of increasing the independent usage of the NMES technology in the home-setting through the design of a user-friendly wearable system were studied. Eighteen healthy elderly volunteers, aged 65 years and above, were randomly categorized into two groups, a control group and an NMES group. The NMES group performed the NMES intervention three times a week, for a total of four weeks. Functional tests (Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSTS) and Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) were measured for both study groups at the start and the end of the four weeks. Additional quantitative and qualitative tests were conducted on the NMES intervention group to determine the ease of use of the wearable design. By the end of the study period, the time taken for the FTSTS and TUG decreased by 4% and increased by 2% respectively, for the NMES group. Interestingly both parameters significantly decreased for the control group. The quantitative and qualitative tests conducted to better understand the user experience showed promising potential for independent usage of the wearable device in the home-setting. The market and business potential of the proposed system were also analysed via various frameworks, such as the PESTLE (political, economic, sociocultural, technological, legal and environmental) analysis and the Blue Ocean Strategy, in addition to the different growth strategies. Other potential future applications of the wearable system in the healthcare and consumer wearable industry were also discussed.