Lack of independence and constant need for monitoring for patients with severe health issues.

An untethered alert bracelet that monitors vitals & GPS location, self-calibrated through an app.

Saving funds on in-home and facility monitoring, peace of mind for patients, families, and friends.

3D print a case, mill straps and possibly laser-etch the board for a working prototype that can successfully read heart
rate, blood pressure and Oxygen level and interface with the app via antennas.

Summary Product Objective
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I aim to create a product that gives independence and peace of mind to seriously ill
patients and their caretakers by enabling constant monitoring of the medical condition of the wearer, with an automated
alert system should the wearer be in distress to expedite medical or personal care without input needed from the
wearer.
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Observations
• Alert-style bracelets contains the capability to call for help via button and speak to a
person, connects via wifi through a base unit, but doesn't work outside home range. Can be worn as a necklace,
bracelet, or carried via keyring. Contains no medical data on the wearer for use by emergency personnel.
• Fitness
wearable units will record data on heart rate, blood pressure, and sometimes Oxygen levels, but only files away the
data. Does not analyze for emergencies or call for help. Many are tethered to a phone for signal. Many are chest or
middle-arm wearables. Only a few are wrist-worn. Contains no easy access to wearer's medical data for use by
emergency personnel.
• Emergency GPS locators will signal for help from anywhere, but do not monitor condition of the
wearer, nor can they be activated automatically or remotely. They are also usually tethered to a phone or tablet. Some
wearable models, but most are handheld. Contains no medically useful data for emergency personnel.
• There is
currently no product on the market that combines medical monitoring, an alert system for distress, and GPS locating in
one unit.
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Interviews
• Hospice Nurse:
o Monitoring of vitals is important, but GPS even more so, especially if the
patient lacks mental focus (i.e. Dementia or Alzheimer's, highly medicated or just very sick patients all easily
get confused and lost).
o It needs to be comfortable to wear. They're in enough pain already. No beeping or
squeezing. The less 'medical' it looks and acts, the better.
o Make it so alerts can go to family, not just a
medical professional. Diversify the options of alerts.
o Let the wearer know it can increase their independence. They
won't have to be constantly 'babysat'. Patients love that.
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• Dementia Care Facility Nurses:
o Even in
a care facility, monitoring of vitals isn't as constant as they would like. An alerting device would help them
(even with all their medical equipment!). Analyzing software would have to learn the patient's 'normal'
state.
o An RFID chip or other 'invisible fence' addition would be great for patients with Dementia (they will
often not understand the need to stay at the facility and wander/run away).
o Make it lockable or complicated to remove
- mentally fragile patients tend to remove all clothing and accessories.
o Needs to be waterproof, impact resistant and
very durable.
o If it's got an alert-style button, it needs a disable feature. Otherwise it will get pushed all the
time for no reason by patients who don't remember what it's for.
o Make it look like a watch or bracelet, to
keep from frightening patients.
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• Palliative Care Patient (Many Time Cancer Survivor)
o Make it friendly to children
to interact with (she has two elementary-school kids), or make it able to bypass needing children to interact with it.
o
Needs automatic alerts for when wearer is unresponsive (ex. During a seizure, heart attack, or stroke).
o Make it as
inexpensive as possible. Sick people are poor, and so are elderly people on fixed incomes. No monthly bills for
monitoring service or alert service. Bypass them and go straight to friends/family/medical care
specialists.
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Research
User Problems and Issues Defined
• No single device, all in one that monitors vitals, sends
alerts via wearer request OR automated messaging, and sends location of the wearer to alertees.
• No device of any of
these kinds are untethered to base unit of some kind (phone, home wifi).
• No device that is comfortable, unobtrusive
and can be locked in place.
• Alert services are through a monthly service, and can be costly.
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Conclusion and
General Design Plan
• All-in-One: Provide a device that is capable of monitoring and analyzing the wearer's
health condition, send alerts when triggered by pre-defined emergency markers, and send the geolocation of the wearer to
preprogrammed recipients to provide assistance.
•Untethered: Create a system of antennas where no tethering device is
necessary to maintain geolocation and the sending of alerts. Must be device contained, with no monthly service
fees.
•Not Too Medical: The product must be unobtrusive, cause no discomfort or disorientation, and not resemble a
medical device. A locking strap is important. Possible rubber coating to waterproof and add durability to
impact.
•Ease of Use: The people receiving the alerts should not need a receiving proprietary device or app. Should be
via text messaging or other common universal communication system.