Ubiquitous healthcare service using Zigbee and mobile phone for elderly patients.
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Date
2009-02-10
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy of a u healthcare service using Zigbee and mobile phone for elderly patients with diabetes mellitus or heart diseases MATERIALS AND METHODS From July to October 2005 29 patients were enrolled in our study Two selected u healthcare items ECG and blood glucose measurement were monitored Twenty patients were provided with ZigBee built in blood glucometer and mobile phones and were instructed on using a web service where the measured blood glucose could be transmitted directly to the web and be administrated Nine patients participated in ECG monitoring by using a wireless transmittable ECG recording instrument equipped with ZigBee protocol attached to their chest Daily average transmission frequency rate of transmission loss and error reasons were analyzed In addition the patients were asked to score their degree of satisfaction about the sensors and u healthcare services RESULTS The mean transmission frequencies were 2 1 times day in blood glucose monitoring and 6 1 times day in ECG The patients satisfaction scores of the blood glucometer and service used in this research were 8 59 and 9 01 of 10 points respectively The mean satisfaction scores about ECG sensor and ECG monitoring services were 5 79 and 7 29 respectively DISCUSSION Despite the many problems still encountered such as technological problems related to sensors and some problems like battery replacement we could transfer the data of glucometer and ECG sensors to web server via ZigBee protocol Authors think the ZigBee could be one of components of wireless u healthcare systems in the future due to its advantages of lower power consumption