Gesture-based communication systems and methods for communicating with healthcare personnel

A method comprising:

• using an electromyography device including adhesive coated electrodes that are positioned into an electrode arrangement placed near forehead muscles of a patient to detect forehead muscle activation indicative of a raised eyebrow of the patient sustained for a time period of at least 2 seconds;
• generating an alert signal only in response to detection of the forehead muscle activation being sustained over a threshold for the time period of at least 2 seconds, wherein the forehead muscle activation is indicative of a desire of the patient to provide a control signal to enable the system to perform a function,
• at a base station located remote from the electromyography device that is interface with a nurse call system, wherein the base station wirelessly communicate with the movement detector to receive the alert signal to activate the nurse call system, in response to the received alert signal from the movement detector indicating that the function to be perform is for the base station to activate the nurse call system to indicate that the patient needs assistance.