ABSTRACT
This paper presents an advanced Internet of Things point-of-care bio-fluid analyzer; a LoRa/Bluetooth-enabled electronic reader for biomedical strip-based diagnostics system for personalized monitoring. We undertake test simulations (technology trial without patient subjects) to demonstrate potential of long-range analysis, using a disposable test ‘key’ and companion Android app to form a diagnostic platform suitable for remote point-of-care screening for urinary tract infection. The 868 MHz LoRaWAN-enabled personalized monitor demonstrated sound potential with UTI test results being correctly diagnosed and transmitted to a remote secure cloud server in every case. Tests ranged over distances of 1.1-6.0 Km with radio path losses from 119-141 dB. All tests conducted were correctly and robustly received at the base station and relayed to the secure server for inspection. The UTI test strips were visually inspected for correct diagnosis based on color change and verified as 100% accurate. Results from testing across a number of regions indicate that such an Internet of Things medical solution is a robust and simple way to deliver next generation community-based smart diagnostics and disease management to best benefit patients and clinical staff alike. This significant step can be applied to any type of home or region, particularly those lacking suitable mobile signals, broadband connections, or even landlines. It brings subscription-free long-range bio-telemetry to healthcare providers and offers savings on regular clinician home visits or frequent clinic visits by the chronically ill. This work highlights practical hurdles in establishing an Internet of Medical Things network, assisting informed deployment of similar future systems.
EXISTING SYSTEM:
THE Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to have a disruptive impact across industry and society, with 20.8 billion IoT connected devices forecast by 2020 . The Internet of Things seeks to inter-connect many physical devices such as vehicles, consumer electronics, buildings, environmental sensors, etc. to facilitate the collection and exchange of data. The IoT market size is predicted to grow, a growth driven by the proliferation of smarter and more cost-effective sensors, the emergence of cloud computing, and the maturity and expanse of the high speed internet . Global investment will expedite the propagation of Internet of Things technologies; for example, Chinese manufacturers have asserted that in the coming years they will spend an annual $127b on IoT devices and infrastructure . Significant recent interest in Wireless Sensor networks (the key enabler for IoT-based systems) including developing effect routing protocols, and a range of applications including medical imaging. One such enabling IoT technology is LoRa which is the physical layer technology (using a derivative of Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) for a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN). LoRa infrastructure has been developed in recent years and its expansion appears to be increasing in rate as more countries choose to deploy full-coverage networks . It operates in the license-free Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio bands with devices in Europe (as well as Africa, Russia, and Asia) operating at 868 MHz and in USA/Canada at 915 MHz . Three layers of encryption ensure high levels of security; this is particularly significant for the transmission of patient’s personal data. With a maximum of 62,500 devices per gateway (dependent on user data rates which can be up to 50 kbps) it allows ubiquitous IoT in urban areas, while its long range (20 Km) makes it ideal for sparsely populated regions . Target sectors include domestic waste management, smart parking, seawater pollution measurement, electricity/water/gas meters, highway tolls, vending machine monitoring, golf course irrigation management, etc.
PROPOSED SYSTEM :
A significant step in realizing the next generation of remote healthcare systems has been taken. The 868 MHz LoRaWAN-enabled personalized healthcare device demonstrated its potential with the UTI test results being correctly diagnosed and transmitted to a remote secure cloud server in each case. The validity of a medical diagnostics system enabled with IoT technology and deployed in residential settings has been investigated and proven to yield robust telemetry results to the attending clinician at the hospital or medical center via the LoRa network. The tests ranged over a distance of 1.1 – 6.0 Km and displayed radio path losses from 119 – 141 dB. Furthermore, all tests conducted were correctly and robustly received at the base station and relayed to the secure server for inspection. The UTI test strips were visually inspected for correct diagnosis based on color change and verified as 100% correct. Results from both urban and rural environments highlight that such a system has the capacity to be deployed in any part of a country. Such technology can foreseeably make a genuine impact on how patients with chronic conditions are monitored, and using this developed solution as a platform it is possible to enable any monitoring or medical device with the same remote capability. As the Lora network infrastructure becomes deployed throughout Europe, USA, and beyond there is a true opportunity to meet the needs of the global ageing population.
The next step is to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the system against clinically approved standards, as well as to put the system in the hands of typical target user groups to understand the strengths and limitations of using such a system. This will allow us to evaluate the feasibility of real-world data collection and redevelop unfavorable aspects of the technology before considering clinical trials. We have thus presented a diagnostics system suitable for use by a patient who has been sent home from hospital or who suffers from a chronic condition. It allows them to perform daily tests regardless of whether they live in an urban or rural area, have a mobile signal in their area, and have a broadband connection or even a landline in their home. We have proven that the Internet of Things is a promising solution for chronic illness monitoring in the community and as a portable solution for travelling homecare workers, midwives, etc.
CONCLUSION :
Results from testing across a number of regions indicate that such an Internet of Things medical solution is a robust and simple way to deliver next generation community-based smart diagnostics and disease management to best benefit patients and clinical staff alike. This significant step can be applied to any type of home or region, particularly those lacking suitable mobile signals, broadband connections, or even landlines. It brings subscription-free long-range bio-telemetry to healthcare providers and offers savings on regular clinician home visits or frequent clinic visits by the chronically ill. This work highlights practical hurdles in establishing an Internet of Medical Things network, assisting informed deployment of similar future systems.
Thus presented a diagnostics system suitable for use by a patient who has been sent home from hospital or who suffers from a chronic condition. It allows them to perform daily tests regardless of whether they live in an urban or rural area, have a mobile signal in their area, and have a broadband connection or even a landline in their home. We have proven that the Internet of Things is a promising solution for chronic illness monitoring in the community and as a portable solution for travelling homecare workers, midwives, etc.