LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure variable distances to the Earth. Its primary use has been in geospatial applications, such as creating high-resolution maps, geology, forestry, environmental science, and recently in autonomous vehicles for obstacle detection and navigation. In the context of health, LiDAR's use is relatively new, but there are several potential applications where it could make a significant impact:
- Remote Patient Monitoring: LiDAR could be used to monitor patient movement, behavior, and activity levels in their home environment in a non-intrusive way. This technology has been termed "invisibles" as opposed to "wearables" as patients don't need to wear anything on their person. This could help doctors to better understand a patient's health status outside of the clinical setting. This could be particularly useful in elderly care, where falls are a common risk and patients may be less likely to adopt wearables. By identifying unusual movement patterns, it could trigger alerts for caregivers or medical staff.
- Gait Analysis: LiDAR could be used to assess a person's gait and movement, which can provide valuable information for diagnosing and treating a variety of medical conditions. This includes conditions like Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or orthopedic problems.
- Physical Rehabilitation: In physical therapy and rehabilitation, tracking a patient's movements and progress can be crucial. LiDAR could help in monitoring the effectiveness of rehabilitation exercises, providing real-time feedback to both the patient and the therapist.
- Surgical Navigation: In medical procedures, LiDAR can be used to create real-time, high-resolution imaging of a patient's anatomy. This could improve the precision of surgeries by allowing surgeons to visualize the operation area in greater detail.
- Assistive Technology: For visually impaired people, LiDAR could be used in smart canes or other assistive devices to detect obstacles and provide navigational assistance.
- Sleep Studies: LiDAR can be used to monitor a person's breathing and movements during sleep, which could aid in diagnosing conditions like sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.
