Emergency Wrist Band

Senior citizen? Old folks? Ageing society? In previous semester, I have taken a subject named Microcontroller Technology. It deals with fundamental syllabus on basic microcontroller’s architecture, operational mode, functionality and its importance. Well, I am quite interested with this course. Soon, we were assigned with task which required us to conduct a Problem Based Learning (PBL) over the usage of microcontroller. The most common microcontroller used within our course's scope is PIC16F877A. After a series of meetings with my team members, I have decided to take the challenge in making a device which is able to monitor the safety of senior citizen when we're not around them.

In the past, there are numerous unsolved issues on guaranteeing and protecting the safety of senior citizens. A local newspaper has reported that Malaysia has an outgrowing and significant number of senior citizens in near future. Senior citizens are prone to unwanted accident, falls or injuries in public places or even at their own house. The impact from such incidents definitely would bring trauma to them and of course to their family members too. As the saying goes, a house is not a home. In my point of view, senior citizens who experience sudden fall incidents like heart-attack and stroke in their house and failed to contact their next-to-kin at nearest time possible saddens me the most. In short, were they staying in a home or a house? Home is place where love and affection grows within our heart. I took this opportunity to choose a topic to be done based on these concerning factors which burden my mind for a long time.

Sources: Ageing Nation Malaysia, Ageing Together 

I have received a present CIKU from the Cytron Technologies around that corner. CIKU’s performance is compatible with my former favorite toy Arduino Uno. CIKU can be programmed by using MPLAB(X8) compiler. The benefit is that the IDE allows me to use Arduino’s Library to code it.

Next, I have started to imagine and brainstorm about the way I can used to alert the young ones when their family member having problem with their health or safety. After reading and understanding several resources on different needs, I have chosen the most appropriate one for both sides. It is EMERGENCY WRIST BAND.

Emergency wrist band is used by victim (senior citizen) to contact his or her guardian (family members, relative, medical assistance) whenever it is needed. In other words, victim does not need to seek for an emergency call by having a smart phone near to them. The wrist band will connect the smartphone to make a call. In this case, I am using a low cost Bluetooth module which connects wristband (CIKU) with the victim’s smart phone.

However, I have to program a new Android software on the smartphone (it is limited to Android Apps). For the most simplistic case, I have choosen MIT APP Inventor to kickstart my GUI coding by building it online. It takes me a long journey to design it and interface with the hardware.

The components needed are:

1. Microcontroller Board CIKU

2. Bluetooth Module

3. A red LED

4. Tactile Switch

5. Few jumper wires

6. Resistor

The circuit schematic works like this way:

Here’s how does the system work:

1. Search and save for the person to contact before unwanted accident occur.

2. Type the message that you wanna send to the recipient or rescuer.

3. Activates it by setting up a stable connection with Bluetooth module. 

    First time configuration:

       Address host: HC-06 (depends on model)
       Password     :1234

4. It is ready to use now. Notice that the LED on the bluetooth module will stop       blinking if it has connected to the smartphone.

5. When accident happens, victim has to press a button built on wrist band.

6. LED lights up. Connection is made with voice call and messaging.

Arrangement on a breadboard.

I have just managed to assemble all these into a breadboard without soldering works. It is my first sample which bears a simple concept with a unique way of helping.

Thank you.