Medical Emergency Communication Assistant (MECA) ‏

1. Cali Antonellis Austin Cormier Michael Cormier David Hughes Medical Emergency Communication Assistant(MECA)‏

2. MECA Overview Motivation: Existing hospital-ambulance communication systems have only basic functionality The ability of dispatchers to keep track of precise real-time ambulance locations is currently minimal Any additional functionality in this area could improve a hospital’s ability to effectively save lives System requirements: MECA will provide the hospital’s ambulance dispatcher with all ambulance locations MECA will allow communication between ambulance and hospital employees GPS information will be used to calculate helpful ambulance statistics

3. MECA Vision

4. Layout

5. MECA Block Diagram

6. Google Maps API • Opens in embedded Mozilla Firefox window in Python • Used to display all ambulance locations in an interactive map window • JavaScript code accepts incoming GPS coordinates from Python • Map is continuously refreshed with updated ambulance coordinates

7. Base Station GUI • Details • Developed with Glade interface designer and Python • Embedded Google Maps API and Ekiga teleconferencing client • Functionality • Provide API with updated ambulance coordinates • Display ambulance speed, bearing, lat/long, and patient blood pressure • Clicking on video link button initiates Ekiga chat window connection

8. Ambulance Unit Functionality • Mini computer ambulance unit consists only of microphone, speaker, and movable web cam • Audio/Video link established automatically upon connection request by base station • GPS coordinates and medical data are sent via UDP to base station device every second • Design decision • Does the ambulance need a video feed from the doctor? • Deemed not necessary: unit is stationary within ambulance

9. Ambulance Mini-Computer • Ztech ITX computer • Comes with Ubuntu Linux installed • Accepts 6-24V power source (works with 12V car battery)‏ • Compatible with Mini-box DC-DC power supply adapter • Able to auto-start with ambulance ignition • Computer Cost – 100$ • Power supply – 70$

10. MECA Software

11. GPS Interfacing • Design • Ambulance mini computer accepts latitude and longitude coordinates from GPS receiver • Coordinates sent to base station where bearing and speed are calculated • Haversine equations • Requirements and Specifications • Position accuracy : Approx. 2m 2DRMS • GPS velocity accuracy : 1mph tolerance • Startup time : Max. 45s • Update rate : Once per second • GPS protocol : NMEA 0183 V2.2 • Power supply : 5V DC (USB from computer)‏

12. Sending GPS and Medical Data Needs to be updated every second to ensure accuracy GPSD (GPS Daemon) starts on startup of ambulance unit Polls our GPS unit for latitude and longitude information Able to call the information into our Python code Mock Medical data updated every second Able to call medical data into our Python code from text file Basestation determines difference between GPS and Medical data Our Basestation code looks for how much information is received 2 data values received = GPS Data 3 data values received = Medical Data

13. AT&T 3G network coverage

14. Constraints & CDR Requirements Constraints Reliability: MECA would have to be near 100% reliable to be accepted in the medical community Price: Requirement of laptops may deter potential customers Satisfied CDR Requirements Actual GPS coordinate implementation Multiple ambulance units on map Ambulance script runs on startup Health-monitoring data collaboration Sending mock blood pressure data Decided upon on-board computer model Two-way voice and video

15. FPR Requirements CDR Requirements not met Cannot yet begin conference by clicking on ambulance marker Google Maps and Ekiga in separate windows FPR goals Ambulance marker click-established connection Real-time health-monitoring data collaboration ITX computer powered and auto-started by ambulance battery Google Maps and Ekiga in same window ETA for each ambulance 3G capability

16. Experiment • Voice / Audio link with Ekiga Experiment • Set up two Linux machines, one with web cam • Ran base station script, connected to ambulance unit • Video and audio capabilities function correctly • Found an approximate .25 second audio/video delay • Real-time Multiple Ambulance Plotting • Run script to set up Google Maps API through local server • Plot ambulance using real-time coordinates • Read from txt file for demo simulation • Both ambulances follow their correct routes • Google Maps API able to follow specified ambulance, and also adjust/pan to show both units

17. Application of Engineering Knowledge 3 ECE Courses: ECE 242: Data Structures and Algorithms (for JavaScript programming of Google Maps display window)‏ CSE 374: Computer Networks and the Internet (for wifi-based prototype connection)‏ CMPSCI 377: Operating Systems (all applications used for development were installed and used with Ubuntu Linux)‏ ECE 242 provided the foundations for much of the MECA code Knowledge of object-oriented programming made learning Python and JavaScript feasible Class diagrams used for design of system from start to finish

18. Outside Sources • External sources outside of ECE • W3 Schools tutorials (W3schools.com) for JavaScript development of the Google Maps display • Python’s tutorial pages (Docs.python.org/tutorials) to learn the syntax of the Python language • Python provides the backbone of our code • The tutorials were used thoroughly in order to learn how to use Python • GPS service daemon page(Gpsd.berlios.de) to research GPSD interfacing with python to retrieve GPS coordinates