Published July 1, 2020 © GPL3+

PAAS - Patients' Assistance Alert System

A Wireless/IoT emergency bell system for COVID field hospitals

IntermediateFull instructions provided3 hours682

PAAS - Patients' Assistance Alert System

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Jumper wires (generic)

Bolt IoT Bolt WiFi Module

Digilent IR Proximity Sensor

Software apps and online services

Flask for python

Bolt IoT Bolt Cloud

Bolt IoT Bolt Python Library

Bolt IoT Bolt Arduino library

Story

BACKGROUND

As the number of COVID -19 cases increase in the world, countries’ health care facilities are being overburdened. The infrastructure that was once thought to be just adequate is now turning out to be grossly inadequate. To accommodate the increasing number of patients and to provide them care, governments are deploying field hospitals. Patients, as well as people working in these field hospitals face many challenges, most prevalent of which is inadequate infrastructure due to set up costs, time, and availability.

Hospitals generally have emergency alarm systems wired into the patients’ rooms/beds for patients to use when they require assistance. Setting up such alarm systems in field hospitals is tedious, time-consuming, and expensive.

This project is an attempt to provide a solution to this problem, which is easy to deploy, and has a low setup cost and time.

DESCRIPTION

This project is a wireless, touch-free IoT based emergency alarm system for deployment in field hospitals.

Being an IoT based system, it requires a fraction of the effort, time, and cost to set up as compared to the wired systems. Moreover, it can still be monitored from a central station like the wired systems. Since it is touch-free in its use, it reduces the probability of surface contamination and makes sanitization procedures easier.

The device is meant to be attached to the patient's bed or nearby where the patient can reach it easily. When the patient requires assistance, they wave their hand in front of the device. This triggers the device and it transmits this over the internet to the central monitoring station. A computer at the central monitoring station displays the status of the devices corresponding to each of the beds (whether it has been activated by the patient or not) on a web page. From here, health care personnel can be dispatched as needed.

THE BUILD

Hardware

This project uses an IR proximity sensor and a Bolt Wi-Fi module (I didn’t have any other Wi-Fi module at hand. The system can be easily set up to work with other Wi-Fi modules) which is based on the ESP8266 for its IoT functionality.

Software

A Python Script (running on your computer) queries the Bolt device (via the Bolt IoT platform) for the IR proximity sensor value using the Bolt Python Library, which is based on the Bolt open APIs. Another Python script running Flask creates and hosts a local web page displaying the current status of the device (i.e., whether the patient has called for help or not). The web page also permits managing multiple devices and adding new devices easily.

Note: Since I am using the free service of Bolt cloud, the API calls are rate limited to 20 hits per minute. I have set timers to not violate these limits. This should not be an issue depending on your Wi-Fi module, or if you decide to use their (Bolt IoT) paid plans.

How it works

The device is triggered when a person waves or places their hand in front of the sensor (depending on the need/availability, any other sensor or switch/button also can be used with minor changes to the code). This triggers the device and the status of the device at each patient's bed is displayed on a web page in the central monitoring room.

Once a device has been triggered (i.e. a patient has called for help), the user must click the "Attend" button on the web page next to the corresponding device/patient number to reset the device.

INSTRUCTIONS

Hardware Set Up

1. Connect the IR proximity sensor to the Bolt module as shown in the diagram.

Circuit connections

2. Connect the Bolt module to a power supply (portable or otherwise).

Software Set Up

3. Set up the directories as mentioned in the Directory_structure.txt (linked). The directories have been set up in this manner to work with the Flask framework for python.

4. Create a database for the devices to be stored: (see images below)

i. Start a terminal in the directory of the project.

ii. Start the python interpreter in the terminal.

iii. Import db and device_response from app.

iv. Then type db.create_all() to create the database and table.

v. Optional: Then add the relevant device details to the database – device id and API key. This is available from the Bolt Cloud dashboard. This can be added later via web interface also.

vi. Type db.session.commit() to save changes to the database and then exit the python interpreter.

1 / 3 • Import db, device_response from app

5. Run device_code.py.

6. In a separate terminal, run the app.py. You can now access the web page displaying the status of the device. In this case, the web page is at http://127.0.0.1:5000/

Running app.py

7. If you haven’t added any device credentials while creating the database in step 4, you can do so now by navigating to the “Add New Device” page.

8. You can Manage your existing devices (Edit/Delete) from the Manage Devices page.

9. The “Device Status” page displays the current status of the devices.

1 / 5 • Welcome page

Note: Both python scripts need to be running in the background.

The entire assembly has been placed in a small box with cut outs for the sensor.

Final product with the housing box

VIABILITY AND DEPLOYABILITY

This project is easy to deploy and scale. Multiple devices can be deployed and connected to a single server to monitor the patients call for help. These systems will benefit not only COVID field hospitals, but any field hospital or situation where set up time and cost must be kept to the minimum. In its current form, the prototype costs approximately $20 to make. Its compact form allows it to be attached easily to any surface. Additionally, these systems don’t require much maintenance. Fabrication and repairs are also easy.

Though I have used the Bolt Wi-Fi module, this project can be adapted for use with other Wi-Fi modules. Thus, allowing the devices to run entirely on a local network without the need of internet, further reducing the cost. With suitable adjustments to the code, these devices can be modified to make use of other actuators (e.g., buzzers or lights) as needed.

Additional resources:

Information about using flask here.

Information on the Bolt IoT platform can be found here.

Code

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.5.0/css/bootstrap.min.css" integrity="sha384-9aIt2nRpC12Uk9gS9baDl411NQApFmC26EwAOH8WgZl5MYYxFfc+NcPb1dKGj7Sk" crossorigin="anonymous">
    {% block head %} {% endblock %}
</head>
<body>
    <nav class="navbar navbar-dark bg-dark">
        <a class="navbar-brand" href="#">Navigate</a>
        <button class="navbar-toggler" type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#navbarsExample01" aria-controls="navbarsExample01" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation">
          <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span>
        </button>
      
        <div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="navbarsExample01">
          <ul class="navbar-nav mr-auto">
            <li class="nav-item active">
              <a class="nav-link" href="/">PAAS Home <span class="sr-only">(current)</span></a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item active">
              <a class="nav-link" href="/devices">Device Status<span class="sr-only">(current)</span></a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item active">
              <a class="nav-link" href="/devices/new">Add New Device<span class="sr-only">(current)</span></a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item active">
              <a class="nav-link" href="/manage">Manage Devices<span class="sr-only">(current)</span></a>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
      </nav>
    <div class = 'container'>
    {% block body %} {% endblock %}

    <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.5.1.slim.min.js" integrity="sha384-DfXdz2htPH0lsSSs5nCTpuj/zy4C+OGpamoFVy38MVBnE+IbbVYUew+OrCXaRkfj" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
    <script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/popper.js@1.16.0/dist/umd/popper.min.js" integrity="sha384-Q6E9RHvbIyZFJoft+2mJbHaEWldlvI9IOYy5n3zV9zzTtmI3UksdQRVvoxMfooAo" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
    <script src="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.5.0/js/bootstrap.min.js" integrity="sha384-OgVRvuATP1z7JjHLkuOU7Xw704+h835Lr+6QL9UvYjZE3Ipu6Tp75j7Bh/kR0JKI" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

{% extends 'base.html' %}

{% block head %} 
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5" >
<title>Device status</title>
{% endblock %}

{% block body %} 
<div>
    <br>
    <h1 style='display:inline'>Device status</h1>
    <a style='display:inline' class='btn btn-success float-right' href='/devices/new' >+ Add device</a>
    <br>
</div>
<hr>
    {% for device in devices %}
    <h2>Patient number {{ device.id }}</h2>
        {% if device.response == '1' %}
        <br>
        <p ></p>
        <div style='white-space:pre-wrap'class="alert alert-danger" role="alert">
            <b>The patient requires assistance.</b><a style='display:inline' class ='btn btn-danger float-right' href='/devices/attend/{{device.id}}'>Attend</a>          
        </div>
        </p>
        {% else %}
        <div style='white-space:pre-wrap' class="alert alert-success" role="alert">
            <b>No help needed. </b>
        </div>
        <br>
        {% endif %}
        <hr>
    {% endfor %}   

{% endblock %}

{% extends 'base.html' %}

{% block head %} 
<title>Edit Device</title>
{% endblock %}

{% block body %} 
    <br>
    <h1>Edit Device</h1>
        <hr>      
        <form action = '/devices/edit/{{device.id}}' method='POST'>
            <label for="device_id">Device id</label>
            <input class="form-control" type="text" name = 'device_id' id = 'device_id' value = '{{device.device_id}}'>
            <br>
            <label for="api_key">API key</label> 
            <input class="form-control" type="text" name = 'api_key' id = 'api_key' value = '{{device.api_key}}'>
            <br>
            <input type='submit'value = 'Save'>
        <hr>
{% endblock %}

{% extends 'base.html' %}

{% block head %} 
<title>Manage devices</title>
{% endblock %}

{% block body %} 
    <br>
    <h1>Manage Devices</h1>
    <br>
    <br>
    {% for device in devices %}
        <h2 style='display:inline' >Device {{ device.id }}</h2>
        <a style='display:inline' class ='btn btn-danger float-right' href='/devices/delete/{{device.id}}'>Delete</a>
        <a style='display:inline' class = 'btn btn-primary  float-right mr-2' href='/devices/edit/{{device.id}}'>Edit</a>
        <br>
        <p style='display:inline' >{{ device.device_id }}</p>
        <hr>
        <br>        
    {% endfor %} 
{% endblock %}

{% extends 'base.html' %}

{% block head %} 
<title>New device</title>
{% endblock %}

{% block body %} 
    <br>
    <h1>Add new device</h1>

        <hr>
        <form action = '/devices' method='POST'>
            <label for="device_id">Device id</label>
            <input class="form-control" type="text" name = 'device_id' id = 'device_id' placeholder = 'Enter Device id'>
            <br>
            <label for="api_key">API key</label> 
            <input class="form-control" type="text" name = 'api_key' id = 'api_key' placeholder = 'Enter API key'>
            <br>
                      
            <br>
            <input type='submit'value = 'Add device'>
    
        </form>
        <hr>
{% endblock %}

#import necessary libraries
from flask import Flask, render_template, request, redirect
from flask_sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemy
from datetime import datetime

#create flask app
app = Flask(__name__)

#configure database
app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = 'sqlite:///devices.sqlite'
db = SQLAlchemy(app)

class device_response(db.Model):
    id = db.Column(db.Integer,primary_key=True)
    device_id = db.Column(db.String(100), nullable = False)
    response = db.Column(db.Text, nullable = True, default = 'N/A')
    api_key = db.Column(db.String(20), nullable = False) 

    def __repr__(self):
        return 'device_response' + str(self.id)

#create routes for individual webpages
@app.route('/')
def index():
    return render_template('index.html')

@app.route('/devices', methods=['GET','POST'])
def devices():
    if request.method == 'POST':
        device_device_id = request.form['device_id']
        device_api_key = request.form['api_key']
        new_device = device_response(device_id=device_device_id, api_key=device_api_key,response='0')
        db.session.add(new_device)
        db.session.commit()
        return redirect('/devices')
    else:
        all_devices = device_response.query.order_by(device_response.id).all()
        return render_template('devices.html',devices=all_devices)

@app.route('/devices/delete/<int:id>')
def delete(id):
    device = device_response.query.get_or_404(id)
    db.session.delete(device)
    db.session.commit()
    return redirect('/devices')

@app.route('/devices/edit/<int:id>',methods=['GET','POST'])
def edit(id):
    device = device_response.query.get_or_404(id)
    if request.method=='POST':
        device.device_id=request.form['device_id']
        device.api_key=request.form['api_key']
        db.session.commit()
        return redirect('/devices')
    else:
        return render_template('edit.html',device = device)

@app.route('/devices/attend/<int:id>',methods=['GET','POST'])
def attend(id):
    device = device_response.query.get_or_404(id)
    device.response=0
    db.session.commit()
    return redirect('/devices')

@app.route('/devices/new',methods=['GET','POST'])
def new_device():
    if request.method=="POST":
        device.device_id=request.form['device_id']
        device.api_key=request.form['api_key']
        new_device = device_response(device_id=device_device_id, response=device_response, api_key=device_api_key)
        db.session.add(new_device)
        db.session.commit()
        return redirect('/devices')
    else:
        return render_template('new_device.html')

@app.route('/manage', methods = ['GET','POST'])
def manage_device():
    all_devices = device_response.query.order_by(device_response.id).all()
    return render_template('manage.html',devices=all_devices)


if __name__=="__main__":
    app.run(debug=True)

#import required libraries
import sqlite3                                                                          
from boltiot import Bolt                                                       
import json, time, sqlite3

#connect to sql database
conn = sqlite3.connect('devices.sqlite')
cur = conn.cursor()

sqlquery='SELECT device_id,api_key FROM device_response ORDER BY id'

#empty dictionary for holding Device id and API keys of Bolt devices
bolt_devices={}

#empty dictionary to hold Bolt objects
mybolt_devices={}

while True:
    #populating bolt_devices dictionary with data obtained from the database
    for row in cur.execute(sqlquery):
        (device_id,api_key)=(row)
        if device_id not in bolt_devices.keys():
            bolt_devices[device_id]=api_key
    
    #creating Bolt objects for all bolt devices available, opening Bolt serial communication
    for device_id,api_key in bolt_devices.items():
        mybolt=Bolt(api_key,device_id)
        
        if device_id not in mybolt_devices.keys():
            mybolt_devices[device_id]=mybolt

    #reading data from individual Bolt devices
    for device_id,mybolt in mybolt_devices.items():
        response = mybolt_devices[device_id].digitalRead('0')
        data = json.loads(response)
        obst = data['value'].rstrip()
        #print(data) #print for troubleshooting
        cur.execute('SELECT response FROM device_response WHERE device_id=?',(device_id,))
        query=cur.fetchall()
        
        if query[0][0]=='0':
            if obst=='0':
                cur.execute('UPDATE device_response SET response = "1" WHERE device_id =?', (device_id,))
                conn.commit()              
                        
            else:
                cur.execute('UPDATE device_response SET response = "0" WHERE device_id =?', (device_id,))
                conn.commit()
            
            time.sleep(5)
        
        else:pass
        #print(query) #print for troubleshooting
        time.sleep(10)

Credits

Rid

2 projects • 2 followers

PAAS - Patients' Assistance Alert System

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

BACKGROUND

DESCRIPTION

THE BUILD

INSTRUCTIONS

VIABILITY AND DEPLOYABILITY

Schematics

Circuit connections

Code

Directory_structure.txt

base.html

devices.html

edit.html

index.html

manage.html

new_device.html

app.py

device_code.py

Credits

Rid

Comments

Embed the widget on your own site

PAAS - Patients' Assistance Alert System

PAAS - Patients' Assistance Alert System

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

BACKGROUND

DESCRIPTION

THE BUILD

INSTRUCTIONS

VIABILITY AND DEPLOYABILITY

Schematics

Circuit connections

Code

Directory_structure.txt

base.html

devices.html

edit.html

index.html

manage.html

new_device.html

app.py

device_code.py

Credits

Rid

Comments

Related channels and tags