1.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Wireless communication became a big step in the field of information and
communication because of its offered vast advantages. But along with that, these
advancements also provide interference and poor security.
The significance of the research will improve the quality of care given to the
patients by giving them more room by eliminating wires of the machine and ease in
mobility. It also aims to help hospitals to attend more patients by observing their health
remotely and simultaneously. This can also lead in developing wireless wearable sensors
and about wireless body area network devices which can help patients monitor their
health and over-all vital signs.
The scope of the research will be focusing on development of wireless
electrocardiogram. Criteria and considerations will be observed during the development
of the medical equipment. First, the device should handle bandwidth jitters and guarantee
sound operation since wireless connection is slower than wired connection due to
interference from other devices that uses the same spectrum. Second criterion is the
comfort of the patients when using these devices. Third, low powered sensor should also
be considered because longevity of battery of medical equipment is important in health
care. Fourth is low cost device and equipment should be regarded. Last is the device
should be user and friendly for the user and the results given by the device shall be
private to the patient and authorized personnel. Other matters such as security of data
transferred and other feasible equipment such as pulse oximetry and sphygmomanometer

will be out of the scope of the research.

Viability of the equipment will be tested by comparing the result of the wireless
equipment to the result of existing old devices. For further testing, the device can be
referred to the organization standards such as IIEE, ISO and ASTM.

1.2 Significance of the Study

Health is an important for every human being. In the field of medicine, it is an
essential factor that they must satisfy to meet their purpose. They must satisfy the needs
of their patient and attend to their needs for medical attention. They take care of the
patients health by doing necessary procedure for their condition at the same time they
also consider the patients comfort.
Medical equipment are important in attending the patients needs. It is an essential
tool that helps the both the patients and medical attendants to monitor the health of a
person. But some of the equipment in the hospital are useful but sometimes pesky
because of the troublesome wires that connects the patient from the machine. An example
of this is the electrocardiogram.
Developing a wireless medical equipment will help alleviate the discomfort of the
patients during their recovery time. It will eliminate the wires that cling from the patient
to the machine and vice versa and will be replaced by a transmitter and receiver. Through
this process, the data gathered by the equipment can also be translated not only to the
machine but also directly to another device such as computers and smartphones. This is
may come handy for outpatients that needs to monitor their health.

This study may also be used as a reference for future studies and development.
This can help other researcher to pursue and continue the development of the equipment
to provide a better service for the patients. In lieu with this, this may also be a bridge for
our country to develop our own medical equipment and start our own manufacturing of
our own devices. This will help cut the cost of the equipment and provide a better
medical care for our country.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to create a network of electrocardiogram that

can interact simultaneously to a host computer through the Bluetooth protocol.
Specifically, this study intends to
1. Design and fabricate an electrocardiogram that is microcontroller-based
which can measure the electrical impulses of the heart.
2. Integrate a Bluetooth module in the design of the electrocardiogram to
allow wireless communication to a remote Windows-based computer.
3. Implement a Window-based program that would be use as the interface of
the Bluetooth module of the host computer with a Bluetooth capability.

1.4 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study will focus on the design and fabrication of Wireless electrocardiogram.
The parameter that will be observed during the study is the accuracy of the device in
gathering electrical impulses. The device that will receive the transmitted data from the

Bluetooth module is a Windows-based laptop. . Other matters such as security of data

transferred and feasibility of other equipment such as pulse oximetry and
sphygmomanometer for wireless use will be out of the scope of the research.

1.5 Time and Place of the Study

The study proper will be started by early October 2015 and is expected to be
completed by May 2016 which comprehends the designing and fabrication stages of the
study. During the fabrication and testing stages, the laboratory works shall be done at the
Department of Electrical Engineering, CEAT, UPLB and *insert hospital here*.