International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)

Wireless Control Smart Stretcher Using ZIGBEE

Safwaan Companywala1, Tauseef Companywala2, Syed Amjed Ali3
1

Electronics & Telecommunication Department, Theem College of Engineering

2
Electronics Department, M.H. Saboo Siddik College of Engineering
3
Assistant Professor, Electronics & Telecommunication Department, Theem College of Engineering
Wireless Control Smart Stretcher is a medical
device used for carrying of patients who require
medical care identification which can determine and
display certain important parameters of patient such
as body temperature, body weight, blood pressure
and heartbeat. It can display all the mentioned
parameters wirelessly. This can however save time
and could prove more beneficial for patients who
need to be hospitalized immediately. The main use
of the smart stretcher is that at the time of emergency
the stretcher automatically fetches the important
parameter of the patient body will on the departure
towards hospital ward rather that calculating it after
reaching the ward which will reduce the time and
human efforts.

Abstract Till date, wireless technology was a

patchwork of incompatible system from a variety of
vendors. The technology was slow, expensive and
reserved for mobile situation or hostile environments
where cabling was impractical or impossible. In recent
years, Zigbee has becoming one of the most promising
protocols for wireless networking. Consequently,
interoperation with Zigbee-enabled home network
devices such as wireless sensor and appliances is an
essential functionality in gateway systems. With
maturity of industry standards and the deployment of
lightweight wireless networking hardware across a
broad market section, wireless technology has come of
age and Zigbee is a new player in the field. This paper
gives an overview of Zigbees technical attributes,
applications, products and its future and its application
network in detail.

II.

Keywords Zigbee, Heartbeat, LM-35, Load Cell,

PIC, Sensors

I.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The entire stretcher model is comprised of several

elements each having specific features of its own.
The first element is the main circuitry which will act
as the primary kit and it will monitor the activities
for which it is intended it is presented as a stretcher
it has a Zigbee module and the data is transmitted
from microcontroller to Zigbee and from Zigbee to
remote from a distance specified within the range of
Zigbee Module. The second part is the remote when
the data is transmitted wireless from the Zigbee on
the transmitter side the Zigbee on the receiver side
receives the data fetches the data and given the result
of the resulted value using a Zigbee module. With
respect to 4 sensors as shown in diagram, a body
temperature sensor, body weight sensor, heartbeat
sensor and respiratory sensor. The output of the
sensor is given to microcontroller. As soon as the
emergency condition is reached, the driver circuit
will switch on the relays which will display the
values on digital display. The main circuitry has a
Zigbee Module which will wirelessly transmit the
data as soon as it fetches the data from the pic
controller it will wirelessly transmit the data on air to
the remote on the receiver from where it is received
by the Zigbee Module and it is fetched by the
microcontroller and the output is displayed on the
LCD display.

INTRODUCTION

Advances
in
ubiquitous
communication
technologies, such as radio frequency identification
(RFID) and small sensor and Zigbee networks, are
giving rise to new applications in the various fields.
In the medical field, especially in hospitals, these
ubiquitous communication technologies can improve
the safety of medical treat mention order to prevent
malpractice and improve the quality of medical care.
Various measures to prevent medical errors by using
checklist or repetition of the orders have been put in
place already, but medical errors cannot be
eliminated by human effort alone. The utilization of
ubiquitous communication technology is expected to
cover non-computerized gaps in medical practice
where conventional hospital information systems
have not been sufficiently effective. The application
of ubiquitous communication technologies in
medicine ultimately aims to realize an intelligent
environment within the hospital, in which the
physiological status and behaviour of patients are
continuously monitored in order to provide the best
medical care at any time and at any location within
the hospital, with security and safety.

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International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)
A driver circuit along with the buzzer is used to
warn the exceeding value of reading. Zigbee TX/RX.
Zigbee TX/RX is used to remotely display
emergency condition of patient using Zigbee
module. Zigbee TX/RX also has an antenna which
will communicate to Zigbee via remote. Zigbee RX
in the remote will receive signal and will notify the
user about same.

The display at the receiver side will continuously

display the values of temperature of patient at the
stretcher at degree Celsius. The human tendency is
that when a human breathe it produces some amount
of heat and this can be captured by the temperature
sensor and can be displayed whether a person is dead
or alive. Heart beat sensor is designed to give digital
output of heat beat when a finger is placed on it.
When the heart beat detector is working, the beat
LED flashes in unison with each heartbeat. A load
cell is a transducer that is used to convert a force into
electrical signal. The most common use of this
sensor is in weighing machine. Every weighing
machine which shows weight has a load cell as
sensing element. This conversion is indirect and
happens in two stages. Through a mechanical
arrangement, the force being sensed deforms a strain
gauge. The strain gauge measures the deformation
(strain) as an electrical signal, because the strain
changes the effective electrical resistance of the
wire. A load cell usually consists of four strain
gauges in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. Load
cells of one strain gauge (Quarter Bridge) or two
strain gauges (half bridge) are also available. Similar
to other sensors can be used in multipurpose
applications making the system more flexible. Along
with Zigbee networks using mesh technique the user
can be secured that no unauthorized hacking can take
place in the system as Zigbee security standards
prohibits the same.

Basic block diagram of Smart Stretcher Transmitter

Basic block diagram of Smart Stretcher Receiver

RF remotes provide new levels of interactivity

and convenience for todays digital world when
compared to IR remotes. As more devices add
internet connectivity and other features, the need for
two -way communication grows. RF remotes are
also faster. More reliable and have greater range than
IR remotes. Plus they do not require line-of-sight
operation like IR remotes. Other benefits includes
low power consumption, avoidance of using
manufacture-specific IR codes, reduced interference
from LCD and plasma TVs, and connectivity with
home automation systems. RF technology has
gradually been replacing IR technology in the highend remote control products. New network
protocols, such as Zigbee RF4CE, are helping to
make this technology accessible to rest of us. Zigbee
receiver will capture the data transmitted via a
Zigbee transmitter and will remotely display it on
LCD display as shown. This will help us to remotely
view the status of patient which can be very helpful
when it is not feasible to go to nearer place. Main
control unit of stretcher has Zigbee receiver which
will receive the signals transmitted from main
circuitry kept at stretcher. Here also pic controller is
used. It also has an LCD display to display the
warning messages or security messages. A driver
circuit along with buzzer is used to indicate that
some problem has occurred. The elements discussed
above will work in synchronization to achieve
careful monitoring of patient.

III.

ZIGBEE

RF remotes provide new levels of interactivity

and convenience for todays digital home when
compared to IR remotes. As more devices add
Internet connectivity and other features, the need for
two-way communication grows. RF remotes are also
faster, more reliable and have greater range than IR
remotes. Plus they do not require line-of-sight
operation like IR remotes. Other benefits include low
power
consumption,
avoidance
of
using
manufacturer-specific IR codes, reduced interference
from LCD and plasma TVs, and connectivity with
home automation systems. RF technology has been
gradually replacing IR technology in high-end
remote control products. New network protocols,
such as Zigbee R4FCE, are helping to make this
technology accessible to rest of us Process industries
have a need for flexibility, openness, mobility,
reliability, and availability. As such, they can
achieve the best return on their investment by
implementing system that support the IEEE
standards used in all major wireless solutions,
including 802.11 and 802.16.

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International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)
A new-borns heart rate is typically around
120bpm. Heart rate slows to approx. 50bpm as you
enter your golden years. When exercising, your heart
rate may be double.

It is also important that systems inter-operate with

the primary emerging wireless sensor protocols, such
as IEEE 802.15.4(sold under the commercial name
Zigbee). A low-data rate, low-power, low-cost
wireless networking protocol, Zigbee is targeted
toward automation and remote sensor I/O control
applications. It is expected to provide low-cost and
low-power connectivity for equipment that needs
battery of life for as long as several years, but does
not require data transfer rates as high as those
enabled by Bluetooth. The industry- leading CC2420
from Texas Instruments(TI) was the first 2.4 GHz
single chip RF transceiver compliant with IEEE
802.15.4/Zigbee; The CC2520 is TIs second
generation 2.4GHz IEEE 802.15.4/Zigbee RF
transceiver; The CC2430 is the first true System-onChip Zigbee solution while CC2430 is the first
system-on-chip(SoC) with a hardware location
engine. And now Zigbee is easier than ever with the
CC2480- the first product from TIs new Z-Accel
family of Zigbee-certified network processors that
simplifies design and reduces time- to- market. Our
latest addition to our family of Zigbee products is the
second generation 2.4GHz CC2530 System-on-Chip
suitable for RF4CE and Smart Energy application
with up to 256KB flash memory. The Z-Stack has
been awarded the Zigbee Alliance golden unit status
by the Zigbee test house TUV Rheinland and is used
by thousands of Zigbee developers worldwide while
Remo TI(tm) is the first complete network protocol,
including both hardware and software, for the new
standardized Zigbee RF4CE specification for radio
frequency (RF)- based remote controls.
IV.

Heartbeat Sensor

B Weight Sensor:
A load cell is a transducer that is used to convert a
force into electrical signal. The most common use of
this sensor is in weighing machine. Every weighing
machine which shows weight has a load cell as
sensing element.
This conversion is indirect and happens in two
stages. Through a mechanical arrangement, the force
being sensed deforms a strain gauge. The strain
gauge measures the deformation (strain) as an
electrical signal, because the strain changes the
effective electrical resistance of the wire. A load cell
usually consists of four strain gauges in a
Wheatstone bridge configuration. Load cells of one
strain gauge (Quarter Bridge) or two strain gauges
(half bridge) are also available. The electrical signal
output is typically in the order of a few millivolts
and requires amplification by an instrumentation
amplifier before it can be used. The output of the
transducer is plugged into an algorithm to calculate
the force applied to the transducer.
Load cells are used in several types of measuring
instruments such as weighing scales, universal
testing machines.
The output of the transducer can be scaled to
calculate the force applied to the transducer.

SENSORS

A Heart beat sensor:

Heart beat sensor is designed to give digital
output of heat beat when a finger is placed on it.
When the heart beat detector is working, the beat
LED flashes in unison with each heartbeat. This
digital output can be connected to microcontroller
directly to measure the Beats per Minute (BPM) rate.
It works on the principle of light modulation by
blood flow through Finger at each pulse.TSL230
light to frequency converter. Blood passes through
the heart in two phases that alternate continuously:
Diastole & Systole.
During the systolic phase, the heart contracts,
pushing the blood into arteries, capillaries, and veins.
Blood flows back to the heart from the veins
during the diastolic phase.
Pulse rate is a direct measure of number of heart
cycles in a minute. A heart rate of 70 bpm is
considered normal for an adult

Strain guage Arrangement

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International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)
C Body TEMPERATURE SENSOR:
Number of sensor is available in
market,
selection criteria of sensor is depend on system,
operating temperature, power supply, sensitivity,
need of amplifier & A/D converter according to the
system requirement. We use LM35 temperature
sensor. Because PIC controllers are having A/D
converter & LM35 not required amplifier circuit & it
suitable for wireless operation. Calibrated directly in
Celsius accuracy of sensor is high. Operating voltage
range is suitable for system. The LM35 series are
precision integrated-circuit temperature sensors,
whose output voltage is linearly proportional to the
Celsius (Centigrade) temperature.
The LM35 series are precision integrated
temperature sensors, whose output voltages are
linearly proportional to the Celsius (Centigrade)
temperature. The LM35 thus has advantages over
linear temperature sensors calibrated in Kelvin, as
the user is not required to subtract a large constant
voltage from its output to obtain convenient
Centigrade scaling. The LM35 does not require any
external calibration or trimming to provide typical
accuracies of degree centigrade at room
temperature and degree centigrade over a full b55
to a150degree centigrade temperature range. Low
cost is assured by trimming and calibration at water
level. The LM35s low output impedance, linear
output, and precise inherent calibration make
interfacing to readout or control circuitry especially
easy. It can be used with single power supplies, or
with plus and minus supplies. Ass it draws only 60
mA from its supply, it has very low self-heating, less
0.1 degree centigrade in still air. The LM35 is rated
to operate over a b55 to a150 degree centigrade
temperature range, while the LM35C is rated for a
b40 to a110 degree centigrade range. The LM35
series is availed packaged in hermetic TO-46
transistor packages, while the LM35C, LM35CA,
and LM35D are also available in the plastic TO-92
transistor package. The LM35D is also available in
an surface mount small outline package and a plastic
TO-202 package.

V.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

RESULT

The data communication between the main unit

and the remote unit using Zigbee has been
achieved successfully. The system was tested in
a closed space and the distance between
transmitter and receiver was 10-15 meters. The
data transmission and reception was successful
with a delay of less than 1 sec.
Four different sensors are used in the system to
sense various physical parameters that can go
off limit due to some accident and human
mistakes. The result for various sensors are as
follows:
Body Temperature Sensor: The body
temperature output is from LM-35 it is set at a
particular value up to 55 degree Celsius in our
case we are shown it with heat of an iron or heat
sink transistor.
Heartbeat Sensor: The Heart Beat sensor is
designed to give the output of various heart
rates. Since it is an entry level project we are
getting a quite variation in heart rates.
Respiratory Sensor: The body temperature
output is from LM-35 it is set at a particular
value up to 55 degree Celsius in our case its
value is depending upon corresponding change
in body temperature.
Body Weight Sensor: The body weight sensor
consist of a load cell which is 40kg since we
cannot measure the weight directly we are using
the load cell and corresponding weight is
measured
The remote unit consist of 16x2 LCD display
along with a Zigbee transreceiver. The main
stretcher unit sends the information to be
displayed at the remote side via Zigbee devices.
The information is displayed on the display.

Parameter at Transmitter Side

LM-35 Sensor

609

International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2013)
The IEEE 802.15.4 standard provides low cost,
low power and reliable wireless network. The four
sensors have been used to sense body weight, body
temperature, respiratory and heartbeat. The system is
very flexible and the number of sensors can be added
are subtracted easily. Due to the use of Zigbee the
network size is also flexible and can be increased by
adding more nodes.
PIC 16F877A microcontroller has been used to
provide interfacing and processing. It one of the best
microcontroller for the development of midrange
embedded systems. A 16x2 LCD display has been
used to display the variations in various parameters
of the sensor in real time.

Parameters at Receiver Side

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[8 ] http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=481
420

Status of Patient

Change in Parameter Value

Change in Parameter Value

VI.

CONCLUSION

A small wireless stretcher consisting of four

sensors has been implemented successfully using
Zigbee. It is more secure than the systems that use
the regular RF modules.

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