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Vol. 3, Issue 5, Sep-Oct 2013, pp.483-486

RESEARCH ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS

A Zigbee Based Patient Health Monitoring System

K. Navya1, Dr. M. B. R. Murthy2
1
M.Tech, Dept of ECE, CMR College of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad, AP-India,
2
Professor, Dept of ECE, CMR College of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad, AP-India

Abstract:
This paper, presents a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) for monitoring patient’s physiological conditions
continuously using Zigbee. Here the physiological conditions of the patient's are monitored by sensors and the
output of these sensors is transmitted via Zigbee and the same has to be sent to the remote wireless monitor for
acquiring the observed patient’s physiological signal. The remote wireless monitor is constructed of Zigbee and
Personal Computer (PC). The measured signal has to be sent to the PC, which can be data collection. Although
Bluetooth is better than Zigbee for transmission rate, Zigbee has lower power consumption. The first procedure
of the system is that the wireless sensors are used to measure Heart rate, temperature and fall monitoring from
human body using Zigbee. Next procedure of the system is to measure saline level in bottle using zigbee. The
measured signal is sent to the PC via the RS-232 serial port communication interface. In particular, when
measured signals cross the standard value, the personal computer will send a message to the caretaker’s mobile
phone.
Keywords: Wireless Sensor Network, physiological signal, GSM, MEMS

I. INTRODUCTION designed. This paper describes an independent

The present patient monitor systems in system that automatically logs vital parameters of
hospitals allow continuous monitoring of patient vital patients for easy access. The data is accessible to
signs, which require the sensors to be hardwired to doctors through mobile device for convenience if
nearby, bedside monitors or PCs, and essentially needed.
confine the patient to his hospital bed. Even after
connecting these systems to a particular patient, a II. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
paramedical assistant need to continuously monitor DESCRIPTION
and note down all the vital parameters of a given Fig. 1 shows the functional block diagram of
patient by keeping track of all of his/her records the system hardware. The system has been designed
manually. Adopting such a method is error prone and to take several inputs to measure physiological
may lead to disaster in the case of a human error. In parameters of human such as temperature, heart rate,
the current proposed system the patient health is detection of any fall and the saline level. The inputs
continuously monitored by the Mobile multi patient from the sensors are integrated and processed. The
monitoring system and the acquired data is results are sent through the Zigbee Module to a host
transmitted to a centralized ARM server using computer, which stores the data into an Access
Wireless Sensor Networks. A ZigBee node is Database. The values can then be displayed on the
connected to every patient monitor system that Graphical User Interface (GUI) running on a
consumes very low power and is extremely small in computer. If it is inferred that the person is medically
size. These are specifically designed for low power distressed, an alarm may be generated. The program
consumption, with minimal circuit components is a user interface, allowing a report on the current
intended for small packet, long distance range status of the individual.
applications and typically consist of a low power
processor with minimal resources and interface
capabilities. They also have a conservative
transceiver that is capable of transmitting 8 bytes of
data at a time and has a moderate transmitting range
of about 130 m. Therefore, WPANs seem to be a
perfect fit for remote patient monitoring.
To improve the accuracy and to increase the
efficiency of the above processes a real time patient
monitoring system based on Wireless Sensor
Networks (using IEEE 802.15a) and a centralized
ARM Server integrated with GSM module is

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Vol. 3, Issue 5, Sep-Oct 2013, pp.483-486

2.2. Heart Beat Sensor

Power The system consists of an infrared (IR) LED
Display as transmitter and an IR photo-transistor as a receiver
supply
that acts as a fingertip sensor. The sensor consists of
MCU Buzzer a super bright red LED and light detector. The LED
Heart beat needs to be super bright as the maximum light must
sensor pass spread in finger and detected by detector. Now,
Zigbee
when the heart pumps a pulse of blood through the
TX blood vessels, the finger becomes slightly more
MEMS
sensor MAX opaque and so less light reached the detector. With
each heart pulse the detector signal varies. This
232 variation is converted to electrical pulse. This signal
Body
is amplified through an amplifier which outputs
temperature analog voltage between 0 to 5V logic level signal.
sensor The illustration of fingertip sensor is shown in fig 2.
GSM
Saline level Modem
sensor

Patient section

Zigbee MAX PC
RX 232

Fig 2. Illustration of Heart beat sensor

Monitoring section
2.3. MEMS Sensor
Fig1. Functional block diagram of the system The MMA7260QT low cost capacitive
hardware micro machined accelerometer features signal
conditioning; this provides two-axis response,
Once the user has connected to the receiver unit, data measuring accelerations up to +/- 2g. This was
is automatically updated on the screen. Beats per fitted into the wrist strap. This device provided a
minute (BPM), body temperature, impact (in both digital voltage, the amplitude of which was directly
axes) and saline level is given on the display. The proportional to acceleration. The acceleration can be
design is modular which makes it rather easy and determined by measuring the length of the positive
straight forward to add extra sensors for measuring pulse width (t1) and the period (t2).
and monitoring other parameters.
The proposed system consists of four sensors: a 2.4. Saline level sensor
temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, MEMs sensor Saline level sensor is used to measure the IV
and saline level sensor. The description of individual fluid levels. This sensor detects the saline level in the
sensors follows. bottle and sends a message to the doctor and at the
same time an alarm will indicate that the saline has
2.1. Temperature Sensor completed. This sensor uses a 555 timer in the
The LM35 series are precision integrated- transmitting section and TSOP1738 IR sensor in the
circuit temperature sensors, with an output voltage receiver section. This sensor is placed at the neck of
linearly proportional to the Centigrade temperature. the bottle so that it detects the IV fluid level.
Thus the LM35 has an advantage over linear
temperature sensors calibrated in ° Kelvin, as the user
is not required to subtract a large constant voltage
from the output to obtain convenient Centigrade
scaling. The LM35 is rated to operate over a −55°C
to +150°C temperature range.

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K. Navya et al. Int. Journal of Engineering Research and Applications www.ijera.com
Vol. 3, Issue 5, Sep-Oct 2013, pp.483-486

Start

Initialization of modules

Get data
from patient

Is saline Is BPM Is body

Yes No Yes No Yes temperature No
level above normal?
minimum? normal?

Alert the Alert the Alert the

nurse nurse nurse

Receive output of sensors

Send data to doctor

End

Fig 3. Flowchart of the system

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The analog processing circuitry and the
sensors were assembled on PCBs which were placed
within the wrist strap. Fig 3 shows the flowchart of
the system & Fig 4 shows the prototype hardware.
The prototype was powered with a 9 V battery. The
RF transmission using Zigbee has been tested to
operate successfully at 30 meters range through
obstacles such as concrete walls. When in operation,
the wrist unit consumes 20 mA of current at 3.3 V
power supply. The microcontroller is powered by 9 V
battery.
Fig 4. Prototype hardware

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Vol. 3, Issue 5, Sep-Oct 2013, pp.483-486

Fig 5. Output shown in the hyperterminal window

IV. CONCLUSION
In this paper, the physiological parameters
such as Body temperature, heart rate, body impact
and saline level are monitored. Low-power
operational amplifiers were used to minimize battery
consumption. The design of the IR sensors could be
improved to decrease its susceptibility to noise, to a
point where it could be moved onto the wrist unit.
The unit is designed for use by the elderly, within the
house, where a caretaker is present but is not able to
be constantly in visual contact with the patient.

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