Base Stations

ITIV Telematic Platform: Base Stations

Overview

 

The central communication component which closes the gap between the Bluetooth™ based Body Area Network (BAN) and other networks (GSM, Internet, Intranet ) is the device called base station or personal Health assistant (PHA) . It connects the local sensor to the electronic patient file respectively to the medical service provider. Depending on the required functionality and the environment there are different possible realizations. Usually a mobile information device including a Bluetooth™ interface like a PDA or a mobile phone of smart phone will be used. On the other hand it is also possible to use Bluetooth™ Access Points or a common personal computer which enable data communication for home monitoring or clinical applications.

Selection criteria are costs , desired functionality and complexity of measurement task . Depending on the functionality required (user interface, data pre-processing, visualisation, emergence detection) various base stations can be used starting at the simple Bluetooth™ mobile phone to smart phones or PDAs. 

 

 

Mobile Base Stations

BluetoothMobile Phone

  • simple, inexpensive
  • easy integration
  • no (or very simple) user interface
  • few sensors
  • data transfer via SMS or continuously through a secure access point of the medical service provider

Smart Phone

  • complex applications possible
  • user interface & visualization possible
  • possible data pre-processing & analysis
  • many sensors usable
  • data transfer via SMS or continuously through a secure access point of the medical service provider or via mobile, secure internet connection
  • currently supported systems: Symbian ™, Java

 

PDA with Mobile Phone

  • integration of many different sensors possible
  • extensive functionality and user interface possible
  • online visualization of all acquired vital parameters
  • extensive data pre-processing and analysis possible
  • mobile data communication using an integrated GPS module of via a standard Bluetooth™ mobile phone 
  • currently supported systems: PocketPC ™, Linux

 

Fixed  Base Stations / Access Points

Bluetooth™ Access Point (BAP)

  • simple integration of intelligent Bluetooth™-sensors
  • integration in existing networks (internet, Intranet)
  • no data processing in base station possible, but direct link to a centralized data base / electronic patient file
  • use of standard Access Points possible

 

Personal Computer (PC)

  • mostly stationary system
  • simple integration by using standard inexpensive Bluetooth™ Dongles
  • very complex applications possible
  • very extensive user interface possible
  • very powerful data processing and data visualization possible
  • inexpensive data communication via existing networks (Internet, Intranet)
  • pure software solutions possible

 

 

 

Contact

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Wilhelm Stork