Intelligent Indoor Environment Monitoring and Emergency System for Hospitals

Project Title

Intelligent Indoor Environment Monitoring and Emergency System for Hospitals

Project Area of Specialization Biomedical EngineeringProject Summary

People spend 90% of their time indoors (Bamodu et al. Energy Procedia, 2017). On the other hand, patients spend their whole day indoors, whether in hospitals or at home. As a result, it's critical to thoroughly comprehend the elements that influence the indoor environmental quality and their interconnected, complex, and dynamic character and impact on people's health and productivity. Indoor air pollution also causes diseases. Among these ailments are bronchitis, Asthma, Lung Cancer, Emphysema, Respiratory Allergic Reaction, and other heart problems. In addition to having negative health consequences, poor air quality contributes to the destruction of our environment, particularly in metropolitan areas. And according to World Health Organization figures, 4.2 million people die each year due to illness induced by poor air quality (www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution). The extent of harm to the neurological system induced by air pollution is ranked second among other issues, with respiratory system difficulties ranking first. Our concept provided a smart system for monitoring and maintaining thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, and acoustic comfort in the interior environment. Sensors in the system will observe, monitor, and manage the environment in hospitals, such as operating rooms, intensive care units, and laboratories. This system will regulate the climate in hospitals and the interior environment in offices, allowing people to work more efficiently by providing a controlled environment. This technology can also be used in private residences. The sensors would track the presence of dirt particles, the quantity of certain gases, and temperature, humidity, fire, smoke, and smog levels. The controller will receive the sensor data, desensitize it, present it on the screen, and send it to the mobile app for remote monitoring. This system would also include an emergency mechanism to notify medical personnel if environmental parameters exceeded a predetermined upper or lower limit.  The project's main objective is that we can provide a better and healthy environment for patients and health care personnel and increase the life and quality of medical equipment. The project would have a profound socio-economic effect as it will help make the hospital environment healthier, reduce the expenditures of medical equipment, and help retain its efficiency and performance. Furthermore, our proposed device will be extremely beneficial for healthcare facilities closer to the industrial or economic area and usually face poor air quality. Figure 1. shows the complete scheme of the proposed projects consisting of data collection through sensors, data processing through modules, and information sharing through mobile App, display, emergency alert, and alarm system.

Figure 1. Scheme-based architecture of low-cost and intelligent indoor environment monitoring system.

Project Objectives

Our project, “'Intelligent Indoor Environment Monitoring and Emergency System for Hospitals,” will use to solve many hospital problems related to the enviorment, such as identifying temperature, humidity, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, and acoustic comfort. To get maximum results from different machines in hospitals, we must provide specific room conditions to them. Recovery of patients also increases as they stay in an environment necessary for their health. Productivity of staff of hospitals is maximum when they work in a controlled environment. It also helps in increasing the living standard of people.

Our objective is to develop a low-cost, indigenous, state-of-the-art sensor network system that can sense vital air parameters, including the concentration of dust particles, hazardous gasses, smoke, and humidity. Our device will continuously monitor the air quality and display the observed parameters on mobile-based applications and locally available displays. Through App, hospital administrators can monitor the environmental conditions of all hospital departments by sitting in their office or from anywhere. Moreover, alarms would also be reported to concerned personnel for best possible decision-making and prevention of life-threatening conditions in critical condition. The project also includes integrating the sensor system with the thermal comfort system of indoor environments. Thermal comfort represents the subjective state of mind satisfaction with the thermal environment. The effects of noise on humans are reflected in psychological effects such as nervousness and decreased concentration. This project helps in significant health and financial benefits for implementing Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) in the built environment. The quantifiable objectives of our projects are:

1. To develop a sensor system to monitor and control the indoor thermal comfort level.
2. To develop a sensor system to monitor and control the presence of hazardous gases.
3. To develop a sensor system to monitor and control the acoustic and visual comfort level.
4. To develop a system to monitor and control the sensor's data locally and remotely using the display and mobile App.
5. To develop an emergency system to generate alerts in emergency conditions to the concerned persons and the management to control the environment.
6. To develop intelligence in the system to automatically control the devices that can improve the environment based on sensor data.

Project Implementation Method

A low-cost, indigenous, and smart monitoring system for the environmental parameters is crucial for our community. Particularly in the Punjab's industrial cities, the air quality has deteriorated due to industrial advancement. The proposed sensor system consists of sensors located at different points of the hospitals to continuously monitor various air quality parameters like temperature, humidity, dirt particles, smoke, etc., and gas sensors to sense the hazardous gasses in the environment. The sensors would be able to communicate to the central module. The central system would communicate the monitored data to the concerned authorities and personnel through the mobile app. Overall, the system consists of three layers as Figure 2 shows the block diagram of the proposed project. The sensor layer consists of sensors and from this layer, the data would be collected from all the sensors and will further be relayed to the control layer. The control layer processes the input data into the useful information for the application layer. The application layer will be used to provide information to the concerned person by displaying them the information using LCDs and Mobile App. The application layer includes intimation the concerned ones through alarms, and the action part as the looking into the data and the necessary action would be taken so that the indoor environment could be maintained for better performance and health.

Figure 2. Block diagram of the environment monitoring system.

Designing a system for the challenges mentioned before consists of six steps (see Figure 3). The design process starts with the purchase of sensors after selecting the relevant sensors figured out from the literature.  The sensors would be integrated with the module for testing and calibration. The sensors would be rigorously tested to collect the real time actual data of environmental parameters. The system consisting of sensors would be developed by integrating the individual sensors with the modules. The data obtained would be processed from preliminary to useful data so that only the useful data would be communicated for further processing. The processed data would be communicated to concerned person, decision makers, stake holders and authorities. The data would be displayed on LCD display to concerned person available locally. A mobile app would be developed so that the data could be monitored remotely as well. An emergency alert and alarm system would also be developed to generate the alerts to expedite the response in the case of emergency or critical situations. The system would be integrated to the thermal comfort system to maintain the comfort level on its own automatically. Finally, the developed system would be passed through the rigorous calibration and testing process so that the system could repose accurately in operations.

Figure 3. The implementation process for the indoor environment system.

Benefits of the Project

The project proposed a smart solution for the indoor environment to monitor thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, and acoustic comfort. The project monitors the described parameters using sensors network placed in indoor environment. This system will regulate the climate in hospitals and the interior environment in offices, allowing people to work more efficiently by providing a controlled environment. This technology can also be used in private residences. The sensors would track the presence of dirt particles, the quantity of certain gases, and temperature, humidity, fire, smoke, and smog levels. The controller will receive the data from the sensors. This system would also include an emergency mechanism to notify medical personnel if environmental parameters exceeded a predetermined upper or lower limit. Because the performance of medical equipment is prone to be impacted by air pollution, dirt particles, temperature, and humidity, etc., this controlled environment will help boost the efficiency of working of medical equipment. And if it is not regulated, it will have a negative impact on the patients. A good indoor air quality is necessary for the rapid recovery of patients, healing wounds, and overcoming many complexities due to dirt particles in operating rooms. It can also improve the working efficiency of paramedics, who will perform better if they are given a well-maintained and controlled area to operate in. Because of the environment, it is not feasible to destroy the available equipment across the country. As an underdeveloped country, Pakistan places a lower priority on health. A few highlights of the benefits of the project are:

1. Low-cost sensor system to save the lives of hospitalized and diseased persons from life-threatening conditions.
2. Smart sensor system to maintain the quality of the environment in hospitals to maintain the performance of too expensive medical equipment.
3. The system would positively contribute to increasing healthcare professionals' performance by providing them a maintained environment.
4. The project can add it contribute to providing the good health and well-being of the humans by reducing illness and deaths from hazardous gasses and pollution.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The proposed project consists of a sensor network to monitor the indoor environment. The project would be measuring/sensing the key indoor environment parameters related to the health of people living or working indoor as thermal comfort, hazardous gases, visual comfort, and illuminance comfort. The proposed project senses the environmental factors and displays it locally and remotely through display and mobile app, respectively. The system also generates alerts intelligently in emergency conditions to the concerned persons through alarms, messages, and the management to take preemptive measures to maintain the health save lives from life-threatening conditions.

The proposed sensor and emergency system would be used in hospitals to provide thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort and improved air to the patients and medical personnel. The thermal comfort system has usage in hospitals to maintain the performance of the costly testing equipment as the performance has negative effect of the temperature, humidity etc. The system also has implications in hospitals to provide the dirt and dust free environments for diseased persons as well as operation theaters and testing rooms. The proposed system would have usage in homes to provide improved living standards at houses. The project could also be used in industry and working environments to provide healthy facilities to the workers and employees to increase productivity and reduce the illnesses. The comfort and improved environment makes the healthcare professionals and patients satisfied and provide condition for prosperity. The project also has the usage in schools to improve students' performance by providing them the thermal comfort, indoor quality air, visual and acoustic comfort. The project provides the health benefits to occupants and worker's productivity inside. The overall deliverables of the project are:

1. A sensor system to monitor and control the indoor thermal comfort level.
2. A sensor system to monitor and control the indoor air quality and presence of hazardous gases.
3. A sensor system to monitor and control the acoustic and visual comfort level.
4. A system to monitor and control the sensors data locally and remotely using the display and mobile App.
5. An emergency system to generate alerts in emergency conditions to the concerned persons as well as the management to control the environment.
6. An automatic intelligence system automatically controls (Switch ON/OFF) the devices that can improve the environment as required based on sensor data.

Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemCore Industry HealthOther Industries Medical , Others Core Technology Internet of Things (IoT)Other Technologies Others, Clean TechSustainable Development Goals Good Health and Well-Being for People, Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	70745
Arduino UNO	Equipment	4	1800	7200
Arduino MEGA	Equipment	1	3700	3700
Power Supply	Equipment	2	250	500
DHT22 Sensor	Equipment	2	800	1600
MQ135 Sensor	Equipment	2	320	640
MQ2 Sensor	Equipment	1	180	180
MQ3 Sensor	Equipment	2	220	440
TEMT6000 Light Sensor	Equipment	1	125	125
KY-038 Sound Sensor	Equipment	4	200	800
GUVA-S1S2D UV Detector Sensor	Equipment	1	670	670
PM 2.5 Air Quality Sensor	Equipment	1	3850	3850
AHT15 Temperature Sensor	Equipment	2	680	1360
KY-013 Temperature Sensor	Equipment	2	60	120
HTC- Temperature and Humidity Monitor	Equipment	2	450	900
MQ7 Sensor	Equipment	1	420	420
HC-05 Module	Equipment	4	680	2720
Dust Sensor	Equipment	2	900	1800
Flame Sensor	Equipment	3	90	270
Batteries	Equipment	8	70	560
Battery Cap	Equipment	8	10	80
Breadboard	Equipment	4	130	520
ESP32 Node MCU	Equipment	4	850	3400
Buzzer Module	Equipment	10	25	250
Relay	Equipment	6	100	600
12V Relay Module	Equipment	3	145	435
OLEDs	Equipment	5	500	2500
Servo Motor	Equipment	6	650	3900
Stepper Motor	Equipment	1	800	800
Exhaust Fan	Equipment	2	130	260
Motor Driver	Equipment	2	700	1400
I/P OR Gate	Equipment	2	40	80
Circuit Board (Vero Boards, PCB Sheet, Solutions)	Equipment	1	2000	2000
Development of Characterization Environment	Equipment	1	5000	5000
Electronic Components	Equipment	100	5	500
Jumpers Wires for Arduino	Equipment	100	10	1000
Gas Leak Detector Alarm	Equipment	1	1125	1125
Rechargeable Battery Pack	Equipment	2	1200	2400
Digital Humidity and Temperature Sensor	Equipment	2	500	1000
Solder Iron and Stand	Equipment	1	1000	1000
Solder Wire and Paste	Equipment	2	400	800
I2C Module	Equipment	2	170	340
LCDs	Equipment	2	750	1500
Smoke Monitor	Equipment	1	2000	2000
Printing	Miscellaneous	1	2500	2500
Stationary	Miscellaneous	1	1000	1000
Poster	Miscellaneous	1	1500	1500
Overheads (delivery costs, currency fluctuations, etc.)	Miscellaneous	1	3000	3000
Consumables for testing of different parameters (Methane, powder, etc	Miscellaneous	1	2000	2000