Wearable heart rate monitoring as stress response indicator in children with neurodevelopmental disorder
In this paper, a wearable sensor system embedded
in a belt for monitoring cardio-respiratory activity in children
with neurodevelopmental disorder is presented. The sensors are
integrated, using a micro-controller with a wireless interface, in a
network that is able to transmit the monitored parameters to a
data collection station. The data are acquired, processed and
stored using a virtual instrument developed in the LabVIEW
environment. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness
of cardio-respiratory frequency, observed in structured and nonstructured
situations of interactive session, as a possible indicator
of stress response in children affected by autism spectrum
disorder and by pre-school language disorders. Preliminary
results evidence a correlation between specifically designed
activities and the corresponding heart rate.