Milestone 2

Project Plan:

Network Security:

Countermeasures to network attacks will be applied to mitigate the potential of unauthorized users interfering with the signal for malicious activity. This will ensure that data from the machine is reliably and properly communicated to authorized nurses and technicians.

Software Development:

An algorithm will piece together the data collected from the five sensors and process the signals to find heart rate and flag irregularities for investigation by medical professionals. The software uses the electrical difference that occurs when blood travels through the major veins of a patient and combines the data in real time to show the flow of blood to and from the heart. then it displays the information on a monitor for medical professionals to read. 

Hardware Design:

Sensors will detect the electrical change that occurs when blood flows through a patients blood vessels and then analyze the data determining how a patients heart is pumping in multiple directions. This will inform the nurse how each side of a patients heart is pumping and any issues related to heart arrythmia.


Milestone 1 (9/1 - 10/11):

10/24 - Start integrating IDE 400 more into our plans and finish up the rest of the curriculum from last semester. 

Creation of an alias for our group ( Stevens.WTC@gmail.com )

10/26 - Invention and Innovation - IDE 401

11/2 - Value Proposition Canvas - IDE 401

11/9 - Customer Driven Market Segmentation - IDE 401

Milestone 2 (10/12 - 11/29):

11/16 - Patent Search - IDE 401

11/15 - Start thinking of improvements and modelling the system.

11/23 - Project Presentation - IDE 401

11/29 - Finish Milestone 2

Other Checkpoints (11/30 - 12/15):

11/30 - Meeting Documentation - IDE 401

12/7 - Completed Program Charter - IDE 401

12/8 - IDE 401 Learning Assessment - IDE 401

Milestone 3:

Implementation, Testing and Teamwork.

Implementation of the project shall start with collecting potential sensors and transmitters to select technology that fits our quality, cost, durability and size restraints. Testing of these products will include using distinct situations that would be exemplary of typical working conditions. We will evaluate our teamwork at that time to ensure that all participants are contributing fully and if there are disparities, we will deal with them accordingly.

In addition to the above, we will also be planning for and creating our project pitch for the Ansary Competition.

Milestone 4:

Optimization, Delivery and Management.

Concepts:

Suggesting, soliciting and developing alternative designs and approaches

Model ideas:

AREAS OF MALEABILITY:

Concept Selection:

A rating scale of 1-5 was created to evaluate how well each concept fulfills the needs of the product, where 3 is comparable to the current system.

Ease of use:

We ranked Ease of Use a 3 because it is essential that the technicians and nurses know how to use the new system and can adapt to a different system with as minimal issues as possible. They should also know how to fix any common errors or problems with the new system.

Sustainability:

We ranked Sustainability a 2 because while we want to achieve a more sustainable design, it is not our top priority nor easily feasible. We are limited by the types of sensors and machines we have to use and therefore are limited in the sustainability of our product.

Reliability:

We ranked Reliability a 5 because this is the most important aspect of our new system. We want the nurses and technicians to have a reliable system where they do not have to worry about security issues, software errors, or user errors during use. This is a large area of stress for users of the current system, and something we hope to alleviate.

Timeliness:

We ranked Timeliness a 3 because it is vital that the data gets sent in a timely manner to both the ECG monitor and the technician monitoring system. This ensures that medical professionals have the most amount of time to respond to potential arrhythmias or potential false alarms. 

Comfortability:

We ranked Comfortability a 1 because we realize that there is not much we can improve on the comfortability of the nodes for the patient. The nodes of the current system work perfectly fine so we see that there is no real need for improvement, however removing the wires of the current system may offer increased levels of comfortability for the patient.

Durability:

We ranked Durability a 4 because it is an important aspect of the new system. The system and connections need to be strong and durable and able to withstand any security or software issues. Additionally, the system shall be durable enough for long lasting usage in terms of physical systems and the battery life of the sensors. 

Economical:

We ranked Economical a 4 because the current system is cost prohibitive enough that hospitals heavily prioritize areas, which leaves areas that have a reduced need for the system without required technology. This leads to resources being shifted away from areas that have a reduced need for the technology. One of the major reasons for this project is to improve employee retention, which then lets companies save money yay! Cost of replacing materials.

Sensor Selection:

We are currently doing research on the different types of sensors that we can use for the new system. We need sensors that will be able to be used wirelessly and connect to a signal booster through a certain type of network. We are leaning more towards a sensor that measures heart rate through electrical potential differences. 

4 main ways to measure heart rate: 

Software/Coding Language Selection:

We need to choose a software language that is secure and reliable.

Network Selection:

We need to choose a network that is secure and reliable.


Option 1: The sensors on the nodes will be wirelessly connected to a signal booster that the patient holds onto. The booster is also wirelessly connected to the ECG monitor in the patient room. The ECG monitor is wired to the technician monitoring system in another room in the hospital.

Option 2: The sensors on the nodes will be wirelessly connected straight to the ECG monitor in the patient room, bypassing the need for a signal booster. The ECG monitor is wired to the technician monitoring system in another room in the hospital.

Option 3: The sensors on the nodes will be wirelessly connected to the technican monitoring system in another room in the hopsital. The monitoring system is then wired directly to the ECG monitor in the patient room.

Option 4: The sensors on the nodes will be wirelessly connected to a signal booster that the patient holds onto. The booster is also wirelessly connected to the technician monitoring system in another room in the hospital. The monitoring system is then wired directly tot the ECG monitor in the patient room.

Option 5: The sensors on the nodes are wirelessly connected to the ECG monitor in the patient room and the technician monitoring system in another room in the hospital, send the data collected at the same time to both receivers.

Based on our rankings, Option 2 is the best design concept to move forward with.

Design:

Option 2 Flow Diagram

This diagram illustrates the chosen design for our project. The Nodes will transmit data wirelessly to the cardiac monitored stationed within the patient's room for easy monitoring by medical professionals. Then the data is transmitted through a wire to the either a nurse station or technician station depending on hospital layout and size. We chose this design as it minimizes potential wireless noise from the environment and maximizes speed, reliability, and security. Additionally, the design offers increased durability for repeated and constant use. 

Analysis:

Based on Option 2

Hardware Specifications:

The hardware will include the following components:

Software Specifications:

The software will rely on the following components:

Test Plan:

The team will focus on the following aspects first:

After the team has decided on these vital aspects, they shall work on the Software side of things, such as creating a network and database similar to the existing ECG system. The heart rate data collected from the sensors will be converted into signals through digital signal processing mechanisms and then sent wirelessly to the ECG machine through the chosen network system with the proper security measures in place. Once the team creates the network, they shall test the chosen sensors and analyze its results. The team shall test the type of wireless sensor by simulating an environment that the sensor shall work in and placing the sensor in the environment.