An improved localization algorithm with wireless heartbeat monitoring system for patient safety in psychiatric wards

作者：Cheng Chen Yang^*; Lan Tsuo Hung; Chan Chin Hong

来源：Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 2013, 26(2): 905-912.

DOI：10.1016/j.engappai.2012.11.013

• Wireless sensor network
• Localization
• Healthcare
• Data mining

Psychiatric patients often require continuous monitoring to keep them out of dangerous situations. Accordingly, hospitals hire additional staff to monitor patients%26apos; vital signs, maintain patient safety, and ensure that patients do not leave the hospital without notice. However, ward staff have difficulty knowing whenever a psychiatric patient is stepping into potential danger zones or encountering any safety threat. This paper reports the development of a wireless monitoring system to improve patient safety in psychiatric wards and reduce avoidable risks. The proposed system can ease the workload of nurses, help locate patients, and monitor patients%26apos; heartbeats. A two-step clustering localization algorithm is proposed for use in tracking patients%26apos; locations. This study marks for the first time that heartbeat detection using a ZigBee-based platform with localization function has been proposed. A proof-of-concept system is developed to understand the current hardware challenges and to enable functional analysis of the proposed ZigBee-based patient localization system. The error distance of the proposed localization algorithm is approximately 1 m. Its location accuracy is 90% with the error distance of up to 3 m. The proposed system is expected to improve patient safety significantly in psychiatric wards at low cost.

• 出版日期2013-2