An enhanced IoT-based wristband for remote monitoring and early detection of hypertension complications in Uganda

Abstract

Remote monitoring systems can transform healthcare for non-communicable diseases like hypertension. Despite widespread blood pressure testing, real-time communication and record storage remain challenging in Uganda. This project developed an enhanced Internet of Things (IoT) based wristband for remote monitoring and early detection of hypertension complications. The system integrates a wearable wristband and web application to track vital signs blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature transmitting real-time data wirelessly. It alerts patients, next of kin, and medical practitioners to critical hypertension levels, enabling early intervention against heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Data collection involved 243 patients and 17 medical practitioners from Rocket Health Clinic in Uganda. Qualitative methods included focus groups, observations, and analysis of Electronic Medical Records (EMR), while quantitative methods utilized patient surveys. Additional data from reports, journals, books, databases, and websites on blood pressure monitoring systems were also analyzed using Power BI. The development followed Extreme Programming (XP) agile methodology, accommodating evolving requirements under tight deadlines. Validation indicated the system is easy to use, accurate, and reliable. The wristband hardware includes the DOIT ESP32 DevKit v1 microcontroller, MKB0803 blood pressure sensor, MAX30102 pulse oximeter sensor, DS18B20 body temperature sensor, OLED SSD1306 display module, UC15 3G module, and SIM800L GSM module. The web application was developed using Laravel, Vue, Inertia, and EChart. Future work aims to enhance system accessibility regardless of smartphone or internet access, potentially through voice-based interfaces. Evaluations will extend to managing chronic diseases like diabetes, leveraging insights to improve healthcare in resource-limited settings.