Personalized IoT-based Physical Activity Monitoring System for Heart Failure Patients

Current literature emphasizes the importance of increasing physical activity, ensuring its continuity, and reducing sedentary behaviors in patients with heart failure (HF). Many patients are referred to exercise-based rehabilitation programs following hospital discharge or an acute cardiac event. Although the benefits of these programs on cardiovascular health have been consistently demonstrated, adherence to recommended exercise regimens remains a major challenge. Previous studies indicate that through repeated and effective national health policies, large segments of society have adopted strategies to promote physical activity. However, despite the availability of various exercise and physical activity protocols, patients with HF remain prone to sedentary behaviors due to physical limitations, psychosocial factors, and lack of motivation. Healthcare professionals play a critical role in promoting physical activity among HF patients, as encouraging participation in structured programs may improve health outcomes and reduce sedentary behaviors. Therefore, developing new and effective strategies to increase physical activity levels in this population is essential. Such strategies should focus on tailoring interventions to individual needs and health conditions, implementing long-term monitoring and support mechanisms to ensure continuity, and integrating technological innovations (e.g., smart wristbands, mobile applications) through user-friendly interfaces. This study aims to improve physical activity levels and reduce sedentary behaviors among HF patients by designing a personalized, Internet of Things (IoT)-based physical activity monitoring system (IoT-HFActive). The central innovation of this system lies in its ability to generate personalized physical activity goals for the first time through automated mathematical algorithms that process real-time data collected from wearable devices. During supervised exercise sessions, heart rate measurements obtained via