Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
17 Firefighter Health Monitoring Network
 Bryan Chang
Kevin Huang
Steven Y M Chang
 Surya Vasanth design_document1.pdf
design_document3.pdf
design_document4.pdf
proposal1.pdf
proposal2.pdf
# Team Members

Bryan Chang chchang9

Steven Y M Chang sychang5

Kevin Huang kuanwei2

# Problem
Firefighters operate in extremely hazardous environments where their health and safety are constantly at risk. Current methods of monitoring firefighter health during active duty are limited, often relying on periodic check-ins or self-reporting. This can lead to delayed responses to health emergencies, such as heat exhaustion, overexertion, or cardiac events. Incident commanders lack real-time, comprehensive health data on their team, making it challenging to make informed decisions about resource allocation and firefighter safety.

# Solution
We propose the development of a "Firefighter Health Monitoring Network" - a system of wearable devices integrated into firefighters' gear that continuously monitors vital signs and environmental conditions. The system uses a mesh network of ESP32-based devices to transmit real-time health data to a central monitoring hub. This allows incident commanders to have immediate, comprehensive awareness of their team's health status, enabling quick decision-making and potentially life-saving interventions.

# Solution Components
## Hardware Subsystems
1. Wearable Sensor Subsystem

This subsystem is responsible for continuously collecting real-time health and environmental data from individual firefighters. The sensors track vital signs like heart rate, blood oxygen level, body temperature, and motion, as well as external factors such as temperature and smoke density. The data is sent to the mesh network of the esp32 and to the central hub via a reliable communication method ESP-MESH and LoRa. The rugged design ensures it functions in extreme conditions without compromising firefighter mobility or safety.
- ESP32 microcontroller
- Heart rate sensor (Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor)
- Blood oxygen level sensor (Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor)
- Body temperature sensor (e.g., MLX90614)
- Accelerometer/gyroscope for motion detection
- Environmental sensors (e.g., external temperature, smoke density)
- LoRa module for extended communication
- Small, rechargeable, heat-resistant battery
- Rugged, heat-resistant enclosure
- Audio jack to connect to the firefighters communication system
- Buttons and LEDs for simple setting configuration

2. Central Monitoring Hub Subsystem

The central hub acts as the control center for the network, gathering and visualizing health data from all firefighters in real time. It allows incident commanders to monitor the team’s health status, detect potential health risks, and respond quickly to emergencies. Its extended battery life and rugged design ensure that it remains operational during prolonged operations in harsh environments.

- ESP32-based device with larger battery capacity
- 7" TFT touch screen for data visualization and input
- LoRa module for extended communication
- Rugged, portable enclosure
- Buzzer to sent out critical alert to watch commander
- Buttons and LEDs for simple setting configuration

3. Power Subsystem

The power subsystem ensures that both the wearable units and the central hub have the energy to operate continuously in extreme conditions. Larger batteries in the central hub support extended use, while the power management circuitry optimizes battery life. Heat-resistant lithium-ion batteries for wearable units.

- Larger capacity battery for the central hub
- Power management circuitry for efficient operation

## Software
- Embedded software for wearable units to collect and transmit sensor data
- Mesh networking protocol implementation (ESP-MESH)
- Data processing algorithms for health status assessment
- Central hub software for data visualization and alert management
- Health analytics/ algorithm for abnormal health data detection
- Mesh Network Integration
- Utilize ESP32's ESP-MESH capabilities for a self-forming, self-healing network
- Implement secure, low-latency data transmission protocols
- Develop network management software for the central hub

## Subsystem Integration

- Wearable units continuously collect and transmit health data through the mesh network
- Central hub receives, processes, and displays data from all connected firefighters
- The mesh system should alert every firefighters in site for faster response time

# Criteria for Success
1. The system shall continuously monitor and transmit vital signs data
2. Wearable units shall operate for at least 8 hours on a single charge in typical firefighting conditions.
3. The mesh network shall maintain connectivity in challenging environments (e.g., inside buildings, around obstacles)
4. The mesh network shall automatically form and maintain connectivity with no manual configuration required.
5. The system shall generate automatic alerts for abnormal vital signs or lack of movement within 10 seconds of detection

Covert Communication Device

Ahmad Abuisneineh, Srivardhan Sajja, Braeden Smith

Covert Communication Device

Featured Project

**Partners (seeking one additional partner)**: Braeden Smith (braeden2), Srivardhan Sajja (sajja3)

**Problem**: We imagine this product would have a primary use in military/law enforcement application -- especially in dangerous, high risk missions. During a house raid or other sensitive mission, maintaining a quiet profile and also having good situational awareness is essential. That mean's that normal two way radios can't work. And alternatives, like in-ear radios act as outside->in communication only and also reduce the ability to hear your surroundings.

**Solution**: We would provide a series of small pocketable devices with long battery that would use LoRa radios to provide a range of 1-5 miles. They would be rechargeable and have a single recessed soft-touch button that would allow someone to find it inside of pockets and tap it easily. The taps would be sent in real-time to all other devices, where they would be translated into silent but noticeable vibrations. (Every device can obviously TX/RX).

Essentially a team could use a set of predetermined signals or even morse code, to quickly and without loss of situational awareness communicate movements/instructions to others who are not within line-of-sight.

The following we would not consider part of the basic requirements for success, but additional goals if we are ahead of schedule:

We could also imagine a base-station which would allow someone using a computer to type simple text that would be sent out as morse code or other predetermined patterns. Additionally this base station would be able to record and monitor the traffic over the LoRa channels (including sender).

**Solutions Components**:

- **Charging and power systems**: the device would have a single USB-C/Microusb port that would connect to charging circuitry for the small Lithium-ion battery (150-500mAh). This USB port would also connect to the MCU. The subsystem would also be responsible to dropping the lion (3.7-4.2V to a stable 3.3V logic level). and providing power to the vibration motor.

- **RF Communications**: we would rely on externally produced RF transceivers that we would integrate into our PCB -- DLP-RFS1280, https://www.sparkfun.com/products/16871, https://www.adafruit.com/product/3073, .

-**Vibration**: We would have to research and source durable quiet, vibration motors that might even be adjustable in intensity

- **MCU**: We are likely to use the STM32 series of MCU's. We need it to communicate with the transceiver (probably SPI) and also control the vibration motor (by driving some transistor). The packets that we send would need to be encrypted (probably with AES). We would also need it to communicate to a host computer for programming via the same port.

- **Structural**: For this prototype, we'd imagine that a simple 3d printed case would be appropriate. We'd have to design something small and relatively ergonomic. We would have a single recessed location for the soft-touch button, that'd be easy to find by feel.

**Basic criterion for success:** We have at least two wireless devices that can reliably and quickly transfer button-presses to vibrations on the other device. It should operate at at *least* 1km LOS. It should be programmable + chargeable via USB. It should also be relatively compact in size and quiet to use.

**Additional Success Criterion:** we would have a separate, 3rd device that can stay permanently connected to a computer. It would provide some software that would be able to send and receive from the LoRa radio, especially ASCII -> morse code.