Fiber Bragg Grating-based monitoring and alert system for care of residents in nursing homes

摘要

This paper presents a novel Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)-based monitoring and alert system for care of residents in nursing homes. Using FBG to design Internet of Things (IoT) sensor devices, a tele-monitoring system was developed to monitor vital signs such as pulse rate, respiratory rate, temperature, movement and bed exit of residents on beds. It is able to measure pulse rate and respiratory rate accurately with mean error below 1 beat per minute, detect sudden onset of high fever and unexpected bed exit during the nights which is crucial to maintain a high quality of care for residents. In cases where any of the patients' health condition deteriorates or abnormal behavior is detected, medical staffs will be notified immediately by the system which provides real time alert on each resident's condition through mobile devices such as mobile phones or tablets. The system also allows residents to alert the medical staffs their need for help through uniquely designed call buttons.