HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM (HMS) FOR RESCUERS

The main purpose of this project is to develop a system to remotely monitor real time measurement of physiological parameters of rescuers (firefighters, chemical rescuers etc.) who are exposed to hazard during rescue execution to fulfill the need for minimizing risks endangering rescuers’ lives. It helps first-aid work as necessary support will be given once the person who monitor outside the field observes abnormal vital signs. The system consists of health monitoring device, computer and smartphone. The health monitoring device is a new generation of “smart” garments, integrating wearable sensors which will allow monitoring heart rate, breathing rate, skin temperature, posture and activity of the user. Sensors implemented ensure noninvasive measurement method, without interfering into human body. Computer and smartphone are used to communicate with the device’s sensors that capture comprehensive physiological data from user. The acquired measurements are sent wirelessly via Bluetooth, and displayed on a computer or a smartphone. Real-time physiological measurements of rescuers can be observed. This paper will also discuss on the performance of the health monitoring device. The accuracy and reliability of health monitoring is tested. Further recommendations will be given to improve this system

Portable spirometer using pressure-volume method with Bluetooth integration to Android smartphone

This paper presents a study on an embedded spirometer using the low-cost MPX5100DP pressure sensor and an Arduino Uno board to measure the air exhaled flow rate and calculate force vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and the FEV1/FVC ratio of human lungs volume. The exhaled air flow rate was measured from differential pressure in the sections of a mouthpiece tube using the venturi effect equation. This constructed mouthpiece and the embedded spirometer resulted in a 96.27% FVC reading accuracy with a deviation of 0.09 L and 98.05% FEV1 accuracy with a deviation of 0.05 L compared to spirometry. This spirometer integrates an HC-05 Bluetooth module for spirometry data transceiving to a smartphone for display and recording in an Android application for further chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis

Real-time human ambulation, activity, and physiological monitoring:taxonomy of issues, techniques, applications, challenges and limitations

Automated methods of real-time, unobtrusive, human ambulation, activity, and wellness monitoring and data analysis using various algorithmic techniques have been subjects of intense research. The general aim is to devise effective means of addressing the demands of assisted living, rehabilitation, and clinical observation and assessment through sensor-based monitoring. The research studies have resulted in a large amount of literature. This paper presents a holistic articulation of the research studies and offers comprehensive insights along four main axes: distribution of existing studies; monitoring device framework and sensor types; data collection, processing and analysis; and applications, limitations and challenges. The aim is to present a systematic and most complete study of literature in the area in order to identify research gaps and prioritize future research directions

Development of an IoT platform to monitor storage conditions and packaging optimization in industry environment

Food production and storage is of major importance in the modern world. Markets and industry must guarantee supply to millions of people. Storing these quantities of food require a lot of management skills and large spaces with good conditions to ensure food quality. One particular area is the olive oil industry which requires large spaces and large tanks prepared with dozens of thousands of liters of capacity. This storage can sometimes create problems in the management caused by misinfor mation provoked by human error in checking storage the status. One such Institution where this problem has appeared is Cooperativa Agrícola de Beja e Brinches (CABB), Portugal, which inspired us to study and develop the product of this thesis. In CABB it was verified that sometimes, due to its storage conditions, the registered quantities of olive oil stored in the tanks would not correspond to the real state, sometimes varying as much as 20 000 liters. In this work, to facilitate olive oil management in CABB, we suggest the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. This can rectify the verification of quantities of olive oil stored in tanks and indirectly improve the quality of information needed for better management of olive oil. Tests revealed that the technology developed during this project might improve the functioning of CABB, making it better to read values associated to olive oil levels inside tanks.A produção e armazenamento de comida é de maior importância no mundo moderno, os mercados e a indústria têm de garantir produtos a milhões de pessoas. Armazenar estas quantidades de comida requer muita qualidade de gestão e largos espaços com boas condições para garantir a qualidade da comida. Uma indústria onde se verifica esta necessidade é na produção de azeite que necessita de grandes depósitos com dezenas de milhares de litros de capacidade. Este armazenamento pode por vezes criar problemas de gestão causados pela má informação provocada por erro humano. Uma das instituições onde se verificou o aparecimento deste problema foi na Cooperativa Agrícola de Beja e Brinches (CABB), Portugal, que nos inspirou para desenvolver o produto estudado nesta tese. Na CABB foi verificado que por vezes, dadas as condições de armazenamento, o registo de quantidades de azeite dentro dos tanques não corresponde ao estado real, por vezes com variação de valores acima dos 20000 litros. Neste documento, para facilitar a gestão de azeite na CABB sugerimos o uso de serviços de Internet of Things (IoT). O uso desta tecnologia pode retificar verificação de quantidades de azeite armazenado em tanques e indiretamente melhorar a qualidade de informação necessária para a gestão de azeite. Os testes revelam que a tecnologia desenvolvida durante o projeto poderá melhorar o funcionamento da CABB corrigindo a leitura de valores associados ao nível de azeite armazenado nos tanques

Anticipatory Mobile Computing: A Survey of the State of the Art and Research Challenges

Today's mobile phones are far from mere communication devices they were ten years ago. Equipped with sophisticated sensors and advanced computing hardware, phones can be used to infer users' location, activity, social setting and more. As devices become increasingly intelligent, their capabilities evolve beyond inferring context to predicting it, and then reasoning and acting upon the predicted context. This article provides an overview of the current state of the art in mobile sensing and context prediction paving the way for full-fledged anticipatory mobile computing. We present a survey of phenomena that mobile phones can infer and predict, and offer a description of machine learning techniques used for such predictions. We then discuss proactive decision making and decision delivery via the user-device feedback loop. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of anticipatory mobile computing.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figure

Ear-Lead Multiple Smart Bio Sensor System in M-health

In this paper, we present a multi-parameter wearable sensor system within a smartphone to enable a real-time unobtrusive monitoring of core body temperature, electrocardiogram (ear-lead ECG), and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) on ambulatory patients. Clinical researches illustrating that continuing accurate measurements of core body temperature are crucial to investigate human thermoregulation in ambulatory environment and during activity. On the other part, ECG remains the mainstay test for primary diagnosis and survival analysis of the heart diseases. We implement a wireless multisensory system that measures both the tympanic temperature inside the ear and ECG data from an ear and an arm. The behind-the-Ear device makes desirable to measure ECG data without any chest belt and allow patient move around freely. The proposed Bluetooth device has similarity the form factor of a hearing aid and is wirelessly connected to a smartphone for data transmission and displaying. This device not only gives the doctors access to the core temperature and ECG data in real time, but the device can be controlled – removed and reapplied – by the patient at any time, thus increasing the performance of personal health applications

Smart Devices and Systems for Wearable Applications

Wearable technologies need a smooth and unobtrusive integration of electronics and smart materials into textiles. The integration of sensors, actuators and computing technologies able to sense, react and adapt to external stimuli, is the expression of a new generation of wearable devices. The vision of wearable computing describes a system made by embedded, low power and wireless electronics coupled with smart and reliable sensors - as an integrated part of textile structure or directly in contact with the human body. Therefore, such system must maintain its sensing capabilities under the demand of normal clothing or textile substrate, which can impose severe mechanical deformation to the underlying garment/substrate. The objective of this thesis is to introduce a novel technological contribution for the next generation of wearable devices adopting a multidisciplinary approach in which knowledge of circuit design with Ultra-Wide Band and Bluetooth Low Energy technology, realization of smart piezoresistive / piezocapacitive and electro-active material, electro-mechanical characterization, design of read-out circuits and system integration find a fundamental and necessary synergy. The context and the results presented in this thesis follow an “applications driven” method in terms of wearable technology. A proof of concept has been designed and developed for each addressed issue. The solutions proposed are aimed to demonstrate the integration of a touch/pressure sensor into a fabric for space debris detection (CApture DEorbiting Target project), the effectiveness of the Ultra-Wide Band technology as an ultra-low power data transmission option compared with well known Bluetooth (IR-UWB data transmission project) and to solve issues concerning human proximity estimation (IR-UWB Face-to-Face Interaction and Proximity Sensor), wearable actuator for medical applications (EAPtics project) and aerospace physiology countermeasure (Gravity Loading Countermeasure Skinsuit project)

Rowing training assessment using smart sensors

Technology is evolving, and the appearance of new smart sensors is increasing. The use of sensors to improve performance during sports activities is getting more relevant than ever. Thus, a system capable of obtaining real-time force metrics of a rowing machine's footplate and seat was developed. The force sensors on the footplate, connected to the Shimmer3 will obtain the heels and toes force information sent through a Bluetooth connection to the developed mobile application. In this application, the rower can understand during training how to improve his rowing technique. Additionally, it is possible to access the history information with more metrics and the evolution of all training sessions. Finally, this system can also detect the force exercised on the seat and the distribution of the centre of force, helping the athlete understand which side it tends to lean in all phases of the rowing stroke.Com o desenvolvimento da tecnologia e aparecimento de novos sensores inteligentes, é cada vez mais imergente a utilização dos mesmos para melhorar a performance de atletas durante a atividade desportiva. Deste modo, foi desenvolvido um sistema capaz de obter em tempo real métricas de força do pau de voga e slide de uma máquina de remo. Os sensores de força no pau de voga, ligados ao Shimmer3 vão obter a informação de força dos calcanhares e ponta do pé que serão enviados através de uma ligação Bluetooth para a aplicação móvel desenvolvida. Nesta aplicação, o remador consegue perceber durante o treino como melhorar a sua técnica de remada. Adicionalmente, ainda é possível aceder a um histórico de informação onde se encontram mais métricas e a evolução de todos os treinos. Por fim, este sistema também consegue detetar a força exercida no slide bem como a distribuição do centro de força ajudando o atleta a perceber para que lado é exercida mais pressão em todas a fases da remada