how lifeline works
Below is a schematic of how the Lifeline system works:
The schematic — explained
Initial Setup
In the initial setup process, patients register their Lifeline wristlets at lifelineivlife.com. This makes it possible for their wristlets to wirelessly contact the Lifeline server. Patients then enter all of their contact information, all of their close family's and friends' contact information, and specific information about their medical condition. This includes their medical history, allergies, primary reason for wearing Lifeline, etc. This information is necessary because it can be sent to hospitals during a Lifeline emergency without the patient having to tell an operator over the phone like in a typical 911 call. If a patient chooses, he or she can download the Lifeline application onto their smartphone and sync their wristlet with the smartphone (see 'INTEGRATION WITH SMARTPHONES'). The patient must finally get their microchip implanted into the area of their medical problem.
Emergency Detection
Emergency detection is performed solely by the microchip. Recall that each microchip is catered to each patient's medical needs, so this microchip will be in different parts of different patients' bodies. The microchip would use its specific sensors (these sensors depend on the patient's specific medical condition) in order to check for medical emergencies; the microchip would perform a check once per second.
Microchip-to-Wristlet Communication
If the microchip detects an emergency, it contacts the wristlet wirelessly. This initiates the emergency response protocol, which is to send for help. This emergency response protocol can also be triggered by the patient pressing the emergency button on the wristlet.
Communication with outside Medical Help (Authorities; family; location transmission)
After the emergency response protocol is initiated, it wirelessly contacts the Lifeline emergency server (a simple internet server). The wristlet transmits its specific identification code, as well as the patient's approximate location. If the patient previously configured the wristlet with a smartphone, the smartphone will also send its location (a more accurate one) to the server. This server then uses the wristlet's identification code to locate the patient's emergency contacts and personal medical information (configured in the initial setup process). Now, using the patient's location, emergency contacts, and personal medical information, the Lifeline server notifies authorities and emergency contacts of the emergency. It simultaneously transmits the patient's location and personal medical information. Now, Lifeline's job is complete.
In the initial setup process, patients register their Lifeline wristlets at lifelineivlife.com. This makes it possible for their wristlets to wirelessly contact the Lifeline server. Patients then enter all of their contact information, all of their close family's and friends' contact information, and specific information about their medical condition. This includes their medical history, allergies, primary reason for wearing Lifeline, etc. This information is necessary because it can be sent to hospitals during a Lifeline emergency without the patient having to tell an operator over the phone like in a typical 911 call. If a patient chooses, he or she can download the Lifeline application onto their smartphone and sync their wristlet with the smartphone (see 'INTEGRATION WITH SMARTPHONES'). The patient must finally get their microchip implanted into the area of their medical problem.
Emergency Detection
Emergency detection is performed solely by the microchip. Recall that each microchip is catered to each patient's medical needs, so this microchip will be in different parts of different patients' bodies. The microchip would use its specific sensors (these sensors depend on the patient's specific medical condition) in order to check for medical emergencies; the microchip would perform a check once per second.
Microchip-to-Wristlet Communication
If the microchip detects an emergency, it contacts the wristlet wirelessly. This initiates the emergency response protocol, which is to send for help. This emergency response protocol can also be triggered by the patient pressing the emergency button on the wristlet.
Communication with outside Medical Help (Authorities; family; location transmission)
After the emergency response protocol is initiated, it wirelessly contacts the Lifeline emergency server (a simple internet server). The wristlet transmits its specific identification code, as well as the patient's approximate location. If the patient previously configured the wristlet with a smartphone, the smartphone will also send its location (a more accurate one) to the server. This server then uses the wristlet's identification code to locate the patient's emergency contacts and personal medical information (configured in the initial setup process). Now, using the patient's location, emergency contacts, and personal medical information, the Lifeline server notifies authorities and emergency contacts of the emergency. It simultaneously transmits the patient's location and personal medical information. Now, Lifeline's job is complete.
integration with smartphones
Though each Lifeline device would include a built-in GPS, this location system could be made much more accurate by integrating Lifeline with a smartphone's GPS system. By integrating a Lifeline device with an iPhone, for example, using an app, the Lifeline device could use the iPhone's GPS system to double check the location of the patient. Additionally, the iPhone's GPS system would likely be more accurate than the Lifeline device's system because iPhones use methods of location pinpointing that are only possible with smartphones, such as cross-referencing location using wifi hotspots. Therefore, the integration of Lifeline devices with smartphones could prove a valuable asset for patients.
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Below are some mock-ups of how the Lifeline application would look on an iPhone and in the App Store. Patients would simply download the application from the App Store and sign into their Lifeline Accounts.
the lifeline microchip implant
Lifeline medical devices take the form of a wristlet that is worn by the patient at all times. However, because a device worn around the wrist would be incapable of monitoring most bodily functions, the majority of patients would also need to be implanted with a small medical microchip, shown in the diagram to the right. The small microchip implant would monitor a patient's specific medical condition at the site of the problem. For example, a patient with heart disease would have the microchip implanted next to their heart. The microchip would use so little energy that it would almost never need to be replaced. When the microchip detects that an emergency is occurring, it would communicate with the wristlet wirelessly. Then, the wristlet would initiate the emergency response protocol (to contact help), and the patient would be saved.
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the lifeline wristlet design
The Lifeline wristlet is the device that patients would wear around their wrists at all times; it is what communicates with the microchip and with outside help.
Each wristlet would be equipped with five components: a battery, a memory card, a wireless transmitter & receiver, a simplistic GPS system, and a button. As a group, we understand many of the principles underlying electronics and how electronic devices work, but we also admit that we don't exactly have degrees in Electronic Engineering from MIT. That said, our prototype design simplistically acknowledges that the memory card, battery, wireless transmitter & receiver, and GPS are connected and serve the purpose of communicating with the microchip implant and the Lifeline internet server, which further communicates with exterior medical help. The Lifeline wristlet would be made out of anodized aluminum and would be designed similar to a watch: it would have a "band" part and a "face" part. The emergency button would be located on the face part of the wristlet. |