Wristband Vital: A wearable multi-sensor microsystem for real-time assistance via low-power Bluetooth link

Abstract

We present a low-cost light-weight wristband Vital as the basic element for emergency response network, which senses and reports hazardous surroundings for people who need immediate assistance such as children and seniors. Based on a multi-sensor Arduino microsystem and a low-power Bluetooth 4.1 module [1], the Vital band samples data from multiple sensors and reports to a base station, such as the guardian's cell phone or the emergency response network, for an emergency situation. With a 3D-printed case and a lithium-ion coin battery, the Vital case is weighed 13 grams and sized 35 × 30 × 11 mm3. With 10 ms short sampling pulses and adaptive sampling rates, the estimated battery lifetime can be extended to more than 100 hours for activity tracking.