Android based Body Area Network for the evaluation of medical parameters

The telemedical system focuses on the measurement and evaluation of vital parameters, e.g. ECG, heart rate, heart rate variability, pulse oximetry, plethysmography and fall detection. Based on two different designs of a (Wireless) Body Area Network connected to an Android smartphone the Real-Time system features several capabilities: Data acquisition in the (W)BAN plus the use of the smartphone sensors, patient localization, data storage, analysis and visualization on the smartphone, data transmission and emergency communication with first responders and a clinical server. In the first ZigBee based approach smart and energy efficient sensor nodes acquire physiological parameters, perform signal processing and data analysis and transmit measurement values to a coordinator node. In the second design sensors are connected via cable to an embedded system. In both approaches data are transferred via Bluetooth to an Android based smartphone. Several challenges are discussed: Measuring, analysing and visualizing medical parameters characterize the system as safety critical, requiring special development procedures and adherence to safety standards. Reliability of wireless data transmission has to be optimized. Handling medical data requires security measures on each level of the system hierarchy.