Design of a Wireless, Passive, Single-Use Emergency Call System
Author(s)
Staats, Wayne Lawrence
Lorenc, Daniel P
Zhang, Zihao
Huwe, Ethan L
Barineau, Mark M
Slocum Jr., Alexander H
Date Issued
November 2010
Journal
Proceedings of the ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition
Publisher
ASME International
Citation
Staats, Wayne L., Dan P. Lorenc, Zihao Zhang, Ethan L. Huwe, Mark M. Barineau, and Alexander H. Slocum. “Design of a Wireless, Passive, Single-Use Emergency Call System.” Proceedings of the ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, 12-18 November, 2010, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, ASME, 2010. © 2010 by ASME
Version
Final published version
Abstract
In order to improve patient access to nurses during emergencies, a wireless wrist-mounted call button system was developed. The goal of this project was to create a simple, easy-to-use system that features a completely passive, wireless call button. Three major problems in existing systems - inability for patients to locate or reach the button, unnecessary user interface complexity, and the introduction of a potential vector for hospital-contracted illness - were addressed in the design. The wireless nature of the device ensures that it is always near the patient. A single-button interface considerably simplifies its use in comparison to multi-button systems, eliminating the possibility of incorrect button presses. Finally, the proposed call button uses inexpensive technologies and can be manufactured for such a low cost that it can be offered as a single-use device, eliminating the possibility of patient-to-patient disease transmission. Using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, patients are able to call for hospital staff from any location in the hospital that is covered by readers. The call button uses a passive RFID tag that can be turned on or off by a mechanical switch. A second tag is used to notify the system when a patient is out of range. The design was prototyped and tested, and future improvements are suggested.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Terms of Use
Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2010-40681
