Resuscitation monitoring with a wireless sensor network

Matt Welsh, Ph.D., Harvard University 
Dan Myung, AB, 10Blade, Inc.
Mark Gaynor, Ph.D., 10Blade, Inc.
Steve Moulton, M.D., 10Blade, Inc.

Pulse oximetry is poorly integrated with pre-hospital and hospital-based
patient care records. It is therefore difficult to study how duration
and depth of hypoxemia affect patient outcome. Neither can one measure
the impact on outcome of various maneuvers or therapeutic interventions
that are meant to reverse the effects of hypoxemia.

Recent advances in embedded computing systems have led to the emergence of
wireless sensor networks, consisting of small, battery-powered "motes"
with limited computation and radio communication capabilities. Sensor
networks permit data gathering and computation to be deeply embedded in
the physical environment. This technology has the potential to impact
the delivery and study of resuscitative care by allowing vital signs to
be automatically collected and fully integrated into a mobile database
system. 

We are developing a pulse oximetry sensor system, called "Vital Dust,"
that is integrated with an existing, mobile, pre-hospital database called
iRevive. The motes collect heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2)
data and relay it over a short-range (100m) wireless network to a portable
computer or PDA, where it is displayed and integrated into the developing
pre-hospital patient care record. Continuous sampling of HR and SpO2
allows these parameters to be carefully monitored and any adverse change 
in patient status to be signaled to a nearby EMT or paramedic. The
integrated patient care record can be stored on the mote and relayed
to a centralized database. This duplicative form of data management
enables the pre-hospital record to travel with patient, while providing 
a centralized, real-time picture of the evolving field environment.