Electrical and Computer Engineering Cali Antonellis Austin Cormier Michael Cormier David Hughes Medical Emergency Communication Assistant (MECA)

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Cali Antonellis

Austin Cormier

Michael Cormier

David Hughes

Medical Emergency Communication

Assistant(MECA)

2Electrical and Computer Engineering

MECA Overview

Motivation: • Existing hospital to ambulance communication systems have only

basic functionality• The ability of dispatchers to keep track of precise real-time

ambulance locations is currently minimal• Any additional functionality in this area could improve a hospital’s

ability to effectively save lives System requirements:

• MECA will provide the hospital’s ambulance dispatcher with all ambulance locations

• MECA will allow audio/visual communication between ambulance and hospital employees

• GPS information will be used to calculate helpful ambulance statistics

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MECA Vision

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MECA Block Diagram

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Physical Ambulance Layout

• ATX computer powered by ambulance battery

• Adjustable hanging arm attached to ceiling

• Camera and microphone wired through to the end of the arm

• Speakers secured to ambulance siding

• No EMT interaction with computer will be required!

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Google Maps API

Opens embedded Mozilla Firefox window in Python

Used to display all ambulance locations in an interactive map window

JavaScript code accepts incoming GPS coordinates from Python

Map is continuously refreshed with updated ambulance coordinates

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Base Station GUI

Details• Developed with Glade

interface designer and Python

• Embedded Google Maps API and Ekiga teleconferencing client

Functionality• Provide API with updated

ambulance coordinates• Display ambulance

speed, bearing, lat/long, and patient vitals

• Clicking on video link button initiates Ekiga chat window connection

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Ambulance Unit Functionality

Design decision• Does the ambulance need a video feed

from the doctor?• Deemed not necessary

Carputer loaded with Ubuntu Linux running MECA software

Carputer boots up on vehicle “ignition” Communication link established

automatically upon connection request by base station

GPS coordinates and patient vitals sent via UDP to base station

ADD PICTURE HERE

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MECA Software

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GPS Interfacing

Design• Ambulance mini computer accepts latitude and longitude coordinates

from GPS receiver• Coordinates sent to base station where bearing and speed are

calculated• Haversine equations

Requirements and Specifications• Position accuracy : Approx. 2m 2DRMS• GPS velocity accuracy : 1mph tolerance• Startup time : Max. 45s• Update rate : Once per second• GPS protocol : NMEA 0183 V2.2• Power supply : 5V DC (USB from computer)

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3G vs WiFi

WiFi• Data rate: 54M bit/s• Range: ~100m from router

3G• Data rate:

• 384 kbit/s (low velocity)• 128kbit/s (high velocity)

• Range: ~80km from cellphone tower

Maximum Ekiga data rate: 160 kbit/s

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AT&T 3G network coverage

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Experiments & Data Collection

Ambulance cold start:• ~1min45sec

3G data transmission:• 1304/1304 packets = 100%

3g reconnection time:• 19.3 seconds

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Constraints & Requirements

Constraints• Reliability: MECA would have to be near 100% reliable to be accepted

in the medical community• MECA can only operate in areas of 3G coverage

Satisfied FPR Requirements• Streaming audio/video over 3G network• Actual GPS coordinate implementation• Multiple ambulance units on Google Maps• Health-monitoring data collaboration

• Sending mock blood pressure and pulse• Hook up carputer and install MECA software

Touch-ups for Demo Day• Ambulance ETA• GUI finalization

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Ethical Considerations

Does MECA violate the privacy of the patient?• By gaining access to the network in use, outsiders may obtain access

to confidential patient information Solution: Disallow sharing of any information that may be used in

identity theft (medical records)

Changes to previous MECA concept avoided issue of being overly dependent on open source software

Contribution to society?• Saves lives by giving doctors earlier patient exposure

Hindrance to society?• May alleviate importance of EMT field experience

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Application of Engineering Knowledge

3 ECE Courses: • ECE 242: Data Structures and Algorithms (for JavaScript programming

of Google Maps display window)• CSE 374: Computer Networks and the Internet (for wifi-based

prototype connection)• CMPSCI 377: Operating Systems (all applications used for

development were installed and used with Ubuntu Linux)

ECE 242 provided the foundations for much of the MECA code• Knowledge of object-oriented programming made learning Python

and JavaScript feasible• Class diagrams used for design of system from start to finish

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Outside Sources

External sources outside of ECE• W3 Schools tutorials (W3schools.com) for JavaScript development of

the Google Maps display• Python’s tutorial pages (Docs.python.org/tutorials) to learn the syntax

of the Python language• Python provides the backbone of our code• The tutorials were used thoroughly in order to learn how to use Python

• GPS service daemon page (Gpsd.berlios.de) to research GPSD interfacing with python to retrieve GPS coordinates