Patient vital-signs monitoring

The problem

Elderly people living alone are the most vulnerable to a sudden health decline that nobody notices, and their families at work can't call them every hour. A clinic check gives one reading every few months, while decline happens in between. Continuous monitoring turns the question “how are they doing?” into real data available at any moment.

How it works

1. MeasurementThe pulse and oxygen sensor reads from the fingertip, and the temperature sensor measures body temperature.
2. ProcessingThe controller filters and averages the readings to avoid outliers.
3. DisplayThe screen next to the patient shows pulse, oxygen level, and temperature live.
4. UploadThe Wi-Fi module uploads the readings to an online dashboard.
5. AlertsAny reading outside the set range triggers a local alarm and sends an alert to the patient's family.

Project features

• It addresses a clear social need: caring for the elderly.
• It can be demonstrated live by putting a finger on the sensor during the defense and watching the reading change.
• It combines vital sensors, IoT, and interface design.
• It can be extended later with blood pressure or ECG measurement.
• The dashboard presents the project as a complete product, not just an electronic circuit.

Expected challenges

These are the main obstacles to expect during the build, laid out clearly so you know them before you start.

• Pulse sensor accuracy is strongly affected by finger movement and how hard it presses on the sensor.
• Skin temperature differs from body temperature, so calibration or a suitable contact sensor is needed.
• Telling an abnormal reading from a real emergency, since false alarms destroy trust in the system.
• Continuous operation: the system must run around the clock without stopping.
• Privacy of health data: it must be protected and not shown on an open dashboard.

The consultation gives you a solution for each one.

Expected committee questions

Prepare your answers in advance: these questions come up often in defenses of similar projects.

1. How is the oxygen reading's accuracy verified against a certified medical device?
2. What normal limits trigger the alert, and who set them?
3. How are wrong readings caused by patient movement handled?
4. How is the patient's data on the dashboard protected?

Practice the defense, question by question