A Low-Cost, Standalone, and Multi-Tasking Watch for Personalized Environmental Monitoring

IEEE Trans Biomed Circuits Syst. 2018 Oct;12(5):1144-1154. doi: 10.1109/TBCAS.2018.2840347. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Abstract

A novel hardware approach with four physical layers and several integrated and add-on sensors for a comprehensive physical and chemical environmental parameter (toxic gases, sound level, air pressure, humidity, temperature, and motion tracking) monitoring is introduced in this paper. To provide flexibility, the system is modular and each sensor functions independently. The whole solution is small, compact, light, and wrist worn. It is working in low power consumption mode and operates for several hours. The device has two layers to implement the sensors and one layer for a warning system driver to enable the vibrating motor and beeper in emergency status. The forth layer is the hardware flex interface that is connected to the display and sound module and provides the possibility of the hardware extension for further development. The gas sensor node includes the sensor attached to the driver (located at the top) and is replaceable with other target gas sensors from the same family. The warning system is located at the bottom of the proposed device. The sampled data from the sensors are monitored in real time via the display and are sent to an Android smartphone for permanent storage via Bluetooth Low Energy(BLE) 4.1. Consequently, these data will be directed to a cloud for further medical analyses. Power consumption, results, device efficiency, and packet protocol justification are evaluated in this paper.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbon Monoxide / analysis
  • Environmental Monitoring / economics
  • Environmental Monitoring / instrumentation
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Equipment Design
  • Gases / analysis
  • Smartphone
  • Wearable Electronic Devices / economics

Substances

  • Gases
  • Carbon Monoxide