BLOCK DIAGRAM

The conceptual block diagram of the Self-Health Monitoring Kit is produced as the above pictures. This is just the basics block diagram of the devices. For each transducer they have their own circuit diagram for the acquisition circuit and it can be a lot more complicated.

The four transducer used represent the sensor circuit that will be used to measure Heart Beat Rate, Blood Pressure, Sp02 and also body temperature. The output from the sensor is than will be processed through the microcontroller and the result will be display at the LCD. This result can also be send through bluetooth module to other electronic devices such as PC or mobile. Than by the used of internet, the result can be send to the respective doctor for evaluation.

WORK PLAN

Below is the Gantt Chart for the duration of completing this final year project title.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The scope of this project is to develop a self-health monitoring device that is easy to be used. This is because the users that will use this device could be an elderly people or people with low knowledge on the medical devices. Therefore, there shouldn't be any bulky wires and a lot of complicated procedures or connections between the devices and the users. However, a certain limitation has been put considering the restricted time and resources that are available. This is to ensure that this project title can be completed during the period of studies and are achievable.

The limitations that this project title has are that the sensor or transducers used are probably old-fashioned and the used of many transducers are acquired. For example, there are multiple researches and development had been done on measuring oxygen saturation in blood (Sp02), blood pressure and heart beat using Photoplethysmography (PPG) method. However considering the time frame given, the research and development of these sensor will caused the project to be unable to complete in time. Therefore, the used of basics sensor in measuring the parameters are chosen. This in return will make the Self-Health Monitoring kit to operate with maximum circuitry.

The other limitations are the budget or cost. Since there is limitations in the budget for developing this project title, the used of sensor node (wireless node) are not advised because one sensor node can cost up to hundreds of dollar. Since this project requires up to four transducers, the cost could be high.  

In order to cover the above major draw backs of the design for this projects, the used of Bluetooth module is incorporated to form a two way feedback's between the users and the doctors. This function is much important so that patient’s condition can be monitored and if there are any abnormalities in the readings, the doctors can alerts the patients and advised them to come to hospital for further treatments.

OBJECTIVES

The developments of Self-Health Monitoring Kit is to achieved the following objectives:


1)      To develop a new self-health monitoring device that can acquire various biological signals and display it for self-monitoring by the users to maintain healthy lifestyle.
 
2)      To attempt to provide a cost-effective, low-power, reliable, portable and non-invasive alternative for the users to monitor their health conditions in the comfort of their own home.
 
3)      To allow a convenient and round-the-clock monitoring of patients from anywhere internet access are available.
 
4)      To design and build a sensing and data conditioning system to acquire accurate heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation in blood and also temperature readings.
 
5)      To develop a program that can process the measurement acquired and display the required parameters that been chosen only.

PROJECTS BACKGROUND

Initial designs of monitoring devices at hospitals are commonly bulky and not practical to be used outside the hospital. Therefore, for patients that are required to be frequently monitored their health's by physicians have to stay in the hospital. However, the comfort being monitored in the hospitals are not as comfortable as being at home. Furthermore, staying at hospitals is costly and not a lot of people can afford it. For example; for elderly people, most of them are not comfortable on staying in the hospitals and prefer the comfort of their home. However, it is not convenient for elderly people to frequently go to the hospitals to done a self-health check.

There are multiple of self-health monitoring kits that are available in the current market however these kits are only limited to one parameter of measurements only. For example, the blood pressure monitors and blood glucose monitor. The negative part is not just it can only measured one parameters, however its draw back was the fact that this device cannot create feedback between the users and the physicians. Without the qualified person to examine the data, the data collected would be wasted.

This new development of ‘Self-Health Monitoring Kit’ is a device that is design to measured four primary vital signs that are important for diagnostic purpose. These four vital signs are heart beat, blood pressure, oxygen saturation in blood (Sp02) and also temperature. It is designed to be low-cost, portable, low-power and easy to be operated by the users. This device will also be integrated with Bluetooth module to enable the users to directly transfer the data obtained to the PC or other mobile or electronics gadgets and send it to their respective doctor through the used of internet.

The development of this device would give benefits to many industries including medical and engineering. In medical, it gives a huge impact on health care costs as they reducing the time and resources of medical physicians and facilities required for the patients. Since it is a non-invasive device, it can easily be handled by the users without the supervision of physicians and especially easy to use. Therefore, this device can help in maintain health and wellness. In engineering, the electronics component used for hardware development and program used for software development are widely used in development of electronic devices. Not only this device can be used at home, but it can also be used at households, hospitals, fitness gyms, and training facilities.