Hyderabad: Tracking Covid patient, suspect now made easy

Hyderabad: In the absence of effective medication or vaccine, constant and accurate monitoring of vital signs of patients or suspects form very crucial part of Coronavirus combat. This is very essential as vital health parameters such as temperature, oxygen saturation, heart rate inform whether there is need for better medical intervention. However, what if the patient or suspect strays away from hospital or quarantine centre, which makes other people come in contact with him or her. The latest invention by a city-based techie seeks to solve this problem – and quite cheaply too. In order to monitor and track isolated and quarantined people, city-based startup Bharat Mobi founder Ashhar Ahmed, along with his friends Vamsi Krishna and Akbar Ali, has developed a prototype model of the Patient Monitoring Device.

There would be two devices – one master device and other slave device. The master device would have a wireless technology standard and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) module, along with a microcontroller. The slave device would have a wireless technology standard, microcontroller and has Global Positioning System (GPS) installed in it. The cost of this device comes cheap and does not cost more than Rs 2,000. It is at present undergoing trials at various local medical equipment agencies, informed Ashar.

How the device works

The slave device would be attached to the patient. It can be formulated in the form of a wristwatch (with a proper locking mechanism so that patient would not be able to remove it easily). Master device having GSM & Bluetooth module will be installed in isolation ward or quarantined room where the patient is being kept. So now there would be communication between master and slave devices.

If any patient goes anywhere away from the quarantined centre or isolation ward, the communication between master and slave devices would get disconnected. As a result, the master device would alert through a buzzer and emergency light along with an SMS to the admin who is handling this device via its GSM module. Once admin receives an alert message then they can act accordingly.

Also, the admin can track the location of the patient since the GPS module is installed in the slave device of the patient. This is a proposed solution which can be iteration and upgraded to monitor and track the isolated and quarantined cases of Covid19. The proposed solution is to benefit the authorities in taking care of quarantine centers or isolation wards.