Abstract
The research team conducted this project to evaluate the effectiveness of the exoapparel and wearable sensor with mobile application in reducing fall-risk-related factors in older
adults. The study comprised four interrelated subprojects: (1) cross-sectional biomechanical
evaluation of the exo-apparel, (2) longitudinal evaluation of the exo-apparel, (3) longitudinal
evaluation of the wearable sensor and application for postural behavior modification, and (4) a
validity and reliability study of the measurement system, generating evidence across functional,
clinical, behavioral, and measurement domains.
The findings indicate that the exo-apparel has potential to reduce fall-risk-related factors
in older adults. The cross-sectional study showed beneficial effects on balance and sit-to-stand
performance, particularly in mediolateral stability and weight transfer efficiency, while the
longitudinal study found that three months of continuous use was associated with improved
standing balance, especially under semi-tandem conditions. Improvements observed even
under non-wear assessment conditions suggest a possible carry-over effect related to
neuromuscular adaptation.
The wearable sensor and mobile application also demonstrated promise as both a
monitoring and posture-related behavioral support system. Ninety days of use was associated
with significant improvement in selected clinical posture outcomes, particularly forward
shoulder angle. In parallel, the validity and reliability study confirmed high measurement
performance, especially for trunk flexion detection through the pitch axis at the T3 position,
supporting its use as a posture assessment instrument in research settings.
Overall, the project provides integrated evidence linking technology mechanisms to fallrisk-related outcomes in older adults. The exo-apparel shows promise for movement assistance
and postural stability, whereas the wearable sensor and mobile application show promise for
posture measurement and behavioral support. Future translation should focus on strengthening
publication-based evidence for health technology adoption, advancing the exo-apparel toward
the Thai Innovation List and potential national reimbursement pathways, and refining the
positioning of the wearable system for appropriate target users and real-world implementation
contexts.
