Final Year Project "Home Patient Monitor": What is Home Patient Monitor

Hi people,

Currently I am doing my Final Year Project titled the "Home Patient Monitor". So far I am still in search of an suitable circuit design to build a patient monitor. Let me explain more on my project. This project is based on the patient monitor concept. What is Patient Monitor?

I have came out with an idea to combine a few circuits that includes the Heart Rate circuit, Blood Pressure circuit, Temperature sensor circuit and the usage of a Microchip PIC16F877A microcontroller to form a new circuit. Here is a slight information on my project.

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Objectives

To design a single device that can measure multiple parameters
To make a prototype that is low in cost
To design a prototype that can interface, collect and store data in a computer for analysis
To build a simple device that is user friendly

Literature Review

“The Objective of Patient monitoring is to have a quantitative assessment of the important physiological variables of the patients”.

“Patient monitoring system measures physiological characteristics either continuously or at regular intervals over time and thereby differs from diagnostic instruments that detect existing medical conditions through single testing procedures”.

“The choice of proper parameters, which have information content, is chosen and it is agreed that monitoring of following biological functions are often needed, the five vital signs monitoring are Electrocardiogram (ECG), Heart Rate (HR), Body Temperature, Non Invasive Blood pressure (NIBP), Spo2”.

Sources:

Suresigns VM Series Patient Monitor Philips manual guide (2007)
http://www.rane.com/note148.html

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The 5 W’s + 1H Concept !

What is Home Patient Monitor?

The prototype consists of a LDR, NIBP cuff and a temperature sensor.
Signal from hardware will be interfaced to the computer using MAX232 circuit and a serial cable to the laptop to display the result at Visual Basic.

Why design Home Patient Monitor?

Capable of measuring multiple parameters e.g HR, BP & body temperature
Low cost compared to the readily available patient monitor in the market
VB can store data for analysis
Simple and user friendly

Who can use Home Patient Monitor?

Normal Person: Monitoring is useful not only for sick patient but also for normal person, including athletes (e.g. to observe their heart rate variations due to stress and exercise)

Abnormal (sick) Person: For persons with illness (e.g. heart rate will give indication of intensity)

When to use Home Patient Monitor?

Apply to all ages of people who want to monitor their health condition.
It will also provide readings just like the patient monitor without having to use the expensive device.

Where to use Home Patient Monitor?

Because of its portable size, the design can be used at home or in the office, school or any other desired place
Indoors
Outdoors
Clinics

How Home Patient Monitor works?

Signal will be amplified
Analogue signal will be send to ADC
Digital signal will be produce
Interface hardware with software using MAX 232 and a USB converter
Display output at computer/ laptop
Using VB as a user interface

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Components/ Software Used

LDR (for HR)
NIBP Cuff
Honeywell SCC05DN (pressure sensor for BP)
LM35 (for temperature)
LM324N
TL082CP (x2)
LM358N
MAX 232
Tubings
DC Motor
Solenoid valve
Relay switch
Microchip PIC16F877A
USB converter
Computer/ Laptop
VB

Problem statement (Limitations)

Under the time constraints, I only manage to come out with a prototype of a patient monitor with HR, NIBP and temperature monitoring only.

Contribution

Able to collect and store data in a computer for analysis
Able to support self home monitoring by non technical user (user friendly)
Able to produce a lower cost patient monitor/ more affordable

Future Recommendation

Many features could be added such as wireless, SPO_2,ECG technology, and alarm features.

To design a patient monitoring application that is capable to access a hospital database and presents clinical information easily and effectively.

To upgrade prototype so that it can overcome limitation of patient with physical disability, as they can also get updates and consultations on their health condition through email by sending their results to their clinicians (internet application).

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jARgONS used:

VB - Visual Basics

HR - Heart Rate

LDR - Light Dependent Resistor

NIBP - Non Invasive Blood Pressure

SPO₂ - Oxygen Saturation level in blood

ECG - Electrocardiogram

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QUOTE OF THE DAY...!!!

Don't look where you fall, but where you slipped.

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