User:Medelen8/ENES100/BioVest Design B

Problem Statement
The project is to design a shirt that is able to measure all vitals: heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and temperature. This shirt should be able to perform readings while being worn, as well as perform basic functions such as being washed in a washing machine without any problem.

Requirements for each element or component derived from system level goals and requirements
Our requirements are : -Has to be tight-fitting (Under Armour Shirt) -Shirt able to measure heart rate, heart rate, temperature and blood pressure -Must be washable -Must be working while moving and running -Must work without attachments,wires or attachments -Sensor must be on the shirt and work through any situation -Easy to wear

Alternatives in design
Before choosing our final designs, our group researched a multitude of Arduino-based programs, as well as devices that already measured multiple vitals without all the extra equipment. In the presented link, the sensor is placed on one's finger, but this one was not practical because there would most likely be a need to have an extended wire coming from the shirt if that were the case. That would defeat the purpose of wearing a comfortable, efficient shirt. But, it does provide code and methods, so possibly making a wireless heart rate monitor for the fingertips would be useful in the future.

There was another design that involved using electrodes, an EMG sensor, audio jacks, and more. This design, although used to initially monitor muscle contractions, could be used to find pulse rate. In addition, electrodes can measure multiple vitals, so one would therefore reprogram the Arduino. This design would also run into some problems due to the Arduino being attached to the electrodes at all times, but this design would probably be the least complicated in using only electrodes as the sensors for all vitals.

The initial design
The initial design involved having four different sensors for the four vitals, one sensor for each vital. There would be an elastic band attached to the mid-torso area that has something similar to an accelerometer to measure the distance from the resting point (after one exhales), to the expansion point, after one inhales. The second sensor would be attached to another elastic band wrapped around the inside of the sleeve with an infrared sensor. In tutorials that use Arduinos to measure blood pressure, an infrared sensor was sometime mentioned in order to measure the light that passes through the skin to get to the sensor as the blood flowed through the arm. Our group decided to use this as a way to measure blood pressure considering the program used an Arduino and an infrared sensor (which were both easily accessible). The third sensor would be placed on the left side of the chest as the heart rate sensor as well as the storage area for the Arduino, wires, and more. It was decided that electrodes would be used to measure the heart rate. Finally, the temperature reading would take place on the other side of the chest using a thermistor-type sensor.

Experimental prototypes and testing conducted during design
The previous group was talking about different concepts (shirt, vest , etc...) but we decide to use the shirt. It is an Under Armour shirt which is really tight and allows for a great foundation for our project. Unfortunately, the more we needed additional sensors for this design, we realized that the chest area was neither a practical, nor a comfortable area to place all of the equipment.

Appropriate optimization in the presence of constraints
To fight against the water on the shirt, the design should be washable and easy to wear .Shirt Under Armour is easy to wear , we try it but we have a big situation to fit all the material on the shirt;.we made a matrix in class : Like the previous group did, we weigh it and we decide Under Armour.

Iteration until convergence
None

The final design
After finding several designs, it was decided that we use a design similar to that of the previous group. We chose to use an Under Armour shirt as shown above on the right. After discovering this device designed by Zephyr Technology that includes a washable band one attaches to their chest, we decided that in the future we'd like to purchase this device. It snaps onto the band, so by sewing the band into the shirt and cutting a hole in the middle of the chest area of the shirt, one would be able to remove the device and safely wash it. With this design, though, it was difficult to figure out another way to measure the other three vitals besides heart rate.

Technical and Scientific knowledge
Fortunately, most of us were familiar with using Arduino in order to double check the codes used in tutorials. As far as medical equipment and sensors needed to monitor vitals, additional research was necessary. This project was very new to all of our members, so research was needed in order to perform this project. Sites like this one were used as inspiration for our design.

Creativity, problem solving, and group decision-making
This part was probably the most difficult due to many absences of one of the group members. Decisions would often be postponed until this person was reached. Additionally, we were not able to communicate ideas back and forth between two people without having one person be there to give their input to push the project along.

When it came to the design of the shirt, we were constantly struggling with where to put all of the attachments we wanted to use for the shirt. We decided that some kind of storage compartment would be necessary, but even then, the shirt would not have been easy to wear nor easy to maintain its practicality. With a box full of wires and possibly an Arduino, this design proved to be unsafe and difficult. This problem was usually counteracted by more research on compact and efficient devices.

Prior work in the field, standardization and reuse of designs (including reverse engineering and redesign)
Throughout our research phase, we discovered many prototypes of a similar shirt being made and tested. Also, we used prior work from Arduino-based tutorials.

Modeling and/or Simulation
For one presentation, we had a group member wear the Under Armour shirt in order to demonstrate the tightness of the shirt.

Performance, life cycle cost and value
Based on the items purchased in the future (i.e. Arduino shields, electrodes, Zephyr Technology devices, etc.), the value, performance, and life cycle cost would all increase based on the quality and price of the items.

Aesthetics and human factors
Aesthetics was a key factor in this project near the end of the four-week period. Initially, our group decided that as long as the shirt worked, not much else mattered. But, after the third presentation, the instructor said that our design should look neat and attractive. This plays a key role in human factors as well, since it is humans who will be interacting with this item. People would buy an appealing piece of clothing over an uncomfortable, heavy one, so making the design captivating and convenient was what ultimately fueled the research needed for the project.

Maintainability, reliability, and safety
This product would be more maintainable, reliable, and safe with less, but more high-quality, equipment, such as the Zephyr Technology device instead of multiple Arduinos and sensors.