Development of wearable device and mobile application to monitor oxygen saturation, pulse and temperature values

The Covid-19 virus has critically affected the entire world. Due to its rapid spread and constantly changing nature, it has impacted millions of people and proved to be a dangerous virus, claiming millions of lives. One of the feasible solutions to mitigate the impact of the disease and bring it under control is to quarantine potentially infected individuals in a predetermined location. However, some Covid-19 patients may experience a complication called 'silent hypoxia' which can lead to severe respiratory distress, even when they feel well. This thesis, a mobile application that works in sync with this device with a wristband and fingertip was developed to measure the vital values of the Covid-19 patient in quarantine and to reduce the risk of silent hypoxia. The wristband and the fingertip consists of various medical sensors, a microcontroller, and a Bluetooth module to measure body temperature, pulse, and SpO2 values. With the developed mobile application, real-time or programmable interval measurements of body temperature, pulse, and SpO2 can be performed. These measured values can be recorded and subjected to various analyses. Additionally, the results can be sent to the desired individual or relevant healthcare practitioner via email. Special attention has been given to ensuring that the mobile application interface is simple and user-friendly. Communication between the wristband and fingertip and the smart mobile device is established through Bluetooth. The smart mobile device is utilized as a recording, control, and display device through the developed mobile application. As a result, the vital signs of the wristband and the fingertip user can be monitored in real-time. Furthermore, similar to a Holter device, the recording of vital signs at specific times of the day and at specific intervals has been enabled. When vital signs reach or exceed pre-defined risk levels, an alarm notification can be triggered. The developed device serves both as a measurement tool for body temperature, pulse, and SpO2 values, as well as a Holter feature. This feature can be actively utilized by both the patient and their caregiver in a hospital or home setting. The developed device has been tested by comparing it with a commercial pulse oximeter. Maximum error values of 3.1% were reached in SpO2 measurements made by different people with both measurement devices, and maximum 6.8% error values were reached in pulse measurements. 0.2% - 1.0% error values were observed in body temperature measurement tests. These tests were carried out under specialist health personnel and the error values were calculated with reference to the commercial pulse oximeter. The Covid-19 virus emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan and has since impacted the entire world. Although vaccination efforts have reduced the impact of the pandemic, uncertainties still remain, particularly with mutant viruses like Delta and Omicron. This uncertainty implies that Covid-19 will continue to be present in our lives for a certain period. The developed wristband and fingertip and mobile application enable the continuous remote monitoring of vital signs for patients in quarantine, reducing the risk of transmission to other individuals. Moreover, the presented system takes precautions against serious conditions such as silent hypoxia. The conducted study serves as an example of using smart mobile devices in other telemedicine systems related to Covid-19.