Thesis type:
MSc
Author:
Duarte Filipe Dias
Supervisor:
João Paulo Trigeiros da Silva Cunha
Title:
VitalLogger: An Adaptable Wearable Physiology and Ambiance Data Logger for Mobile Applications
Abstract:
Current mobile revolution is leading to an increase of wearable health device development and consequently a growth in ambulatory monitoring area. These systems can be applied in ambulatory diseases management and it’s diagnose, a very relevant use, in personal health monitoring or in sports performance enhancement, providing physiological and ambiance data during daily normal activities. Nowadays there are several devices in the market with this type of technology, being one of them the main product of Biodevices, S.A., named Vital Jacket®. It is a medical device capable to continuously monitoring electrocardiogram, heart rate and accelerometer data using a smart t-shirt, a t-shirt with textile embedded electronic.
This Master Thesis objective was to propose, design and implement the first prototype of a new wearable health device denominated VitalLogger. This device extends Biodevices, S.A. technology allowing a possible market expansion of Vital Jacket®.
VitalLogger is a new device capable of acquire physiological and ambiance variables according to the user preferences, extending the amount of signals acquired by Biodevices, S.A. technology. After the extension development, a deep research was made regarding wearable health devices and their sensors/scenarios with a higher ambulatory monitoring need, enabling to design an extension with economic viability and market desire.
The development of VitalLogger prototype consisted in the implementation of an oxygen saturation, ambiance temperature and ambiance relative humidity sensors, being divided in three main phases: design, production and assembling of the electronic board; development in C of the firmware needed to incorporate the implemented sensors in the microcontroller using Microchip IDE software; for last, calibration and validation of the sensors using commercial devices.
The first VitalLogger was successfully built, obtaining a new wearable health device capable to continuously acquire electrocardiogram, heart rate, accelerometer data, oxygen saturation values and ambiance temperature and relative humidity.
