Attempts at monitoring health status in the home

It is highly desirable to reduce the need for medical services by maintaining the health of the population. Intensive monitoring of health parameters is likely to become a necessary means for attaining good health. A new concept of health monitoring is proposed, by which health parameters are automatically monitored at home without disturbing daily activities. We review the numerous attempts at developing home health monitoring techniques, which include monitoring during sleep, or via the bathtub or toilet seat, as well as during daily activities. The studies show that home health monitoring can be achieved even with simple sensors and instruments. There are also many possible applications for advanced technologies. Potential future technologies for home health monitoring include automatic blood pressure measurement via the toilet seat, automatic blood sampling with a device mimicking a mosquito, and artificial noses for detecting smells.