Medical Emergency
Communication Assistant
(MECA)
Cali Antonellis
Austin Cormier
Michael Cormier
David Hughes
Electrical and Computer Engineering
MECA Overview
Motivation:
• Existing hospital to 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 audio/visual communication between ambulance and
hospital employees
• GPS information will be used to calculate helpful ambulance statistics
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MECA Vision
Electrical and Computer Engineering 3
MECA Block Diagram
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Physical Ambulance Layout
• ATX computer powered by ambulance
battery
• Adjustable hanging arm attached to
ceiling
• Camera and microphone wired through
to the end of the arm
• Speakers secured to ambulance siding
• No EMT interaction with computer will
be required!
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Google Maps API
Opens 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
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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 vitals
• Clicking on video link
button initiates Ekiga
chat window connection
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Ambulance Unit Functionality
Carputer loaded with Ubuntu Linux
running MECA software
Carputer boots up on vehicle “ignition”
Communication link established
automatically upon connection request
by base station
GPS coordinates and patient vitals
sent via UDP to base station
Design decision
• Does the ambulance need a video feed ADD PICTURE HERE
from the doctor?
• Deemed not necessary
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MECA Software
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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)
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3G vs WiFi
WiFi
• Data rate: 54M bit/s
• Range: ~100m from router
3G
• Data rate:
• 384 kbit/s (low velocity)
• 128kbit/s (high velocity)
• Range: ~80km from cellphone tower
Maximum Ekiga data rate: 160 kbit/s
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AT&T 3G network coverage
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Experiments & Data Collection
Ambulance cold start:
• ~1min45sec
3G data transmission:
• 1304/1304 packets = 100%
3g reconnection time:
• 19.3 seconds
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Constraints & Requirements
Constraints
• Reliability: MECA would have to be near 100% reliable to be accepted
in the medical community
• MECA can only operate in areas of 3G coverage
Satisfied FPR Requirements
• Streaming audio/video over 3G network
• Actual GPS coordinate implementation
• Multiple ambulance units on Google Maps
• Health-monitoring data collaboration
• Sending mock blood pressure and pulse
• Hook up carputer and install MECA software
Touch-ups for Demo Day
• Ambulance ETA
• GUI finalization
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Ethical Considerations
Does MECA violate the privacy of the patient?
• By gaining access to the network in use, outsiders may obtain access
to confidential patient information
Solution: Disallow sharing of any information that may be used in
identity theft (medical records)
Changes to previous MECA concept avoided issue of being overly
dependent on open source software
Contribution to society?
• Saves lives by giving doctors earlier patient exposure
Hindrance to society?
• May alleviate importance of EMT field experience
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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
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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
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