Fetal activity recognition using 3-axis accelerometer sensor

Fetal movement during pregnancy has been identified as an important index of fetal well-being. Recently, the relationship between fetal movement and the later development of baby after birth has gained attention of clinicians. This paper presents a newly developed Fetal Movement Recorder (FMR) using an accelerometer-based movement measurement device. This prototype device was developed in order to collect the initial data of fetal movement. For this purpose, a module with two point sensors was placed on the maternal abdominal wall and the data were stored in a memory card. Next, the performance of the accelerometers was tested and the potential of the device as a fetal movement monitor was identified. The preliminary results suggest that the proposed device can be an ideal choice for fetal movement measurement due to its better accuracy compared to maternal perception technique. Furthermore, this light-weight device is capable of measuring activities, ranging from gross body movements to more subtle vibrations and can be directly attached to the skin.