POTS Pacer
Description as a Tweet:
The POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) Pacer is a wearable that measures body temperature and pulse to warn individuals of a POTS "attack." The device utilizes sensor fusion and detects abnormal increases in vitals; the data is graphically displayed in real-time.
Inspiration:
We are novices to both hardware and software pertaining to real-time data collection. As freshmen, our primary goal for this hackathon was to expand upon our skills. Furthermore, we sought to create a project that would have a real-world impact by helping others.
What it does:
The POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) Pacer is a wearable technology device that warns individuals of an oncoming POTS "attack," which is characterized by fainting, light-headedness, etc. The device constantly monitors pulse and body temperature data; upon detecting an abnormal increase in these vital signs, the device vibrates in order to alert the individual so that they can proceed safely and prevent injury. Users can also access their real-time data and view it in a graphical format. This data will be stored in a database for table display on an app as well.
How we built it:
We built our project using a number of different, yet somewhat unfamiliar, technologies. We used C++ in the Arduino IDE to enable data collection from a temperature sensor and a pulse sensor. We also attached a small vibration motor for the alert feature of our device (it vibrates before a POTS "attack" to alert users). We then wrote Python scripts to receive and display the data on animated graphs so that the user can visualize their results. Finally, we used Firebase to store data that can be dynamically updated; Swift was used to create an app that would display this data for the user.
Technologies we used:
- Swift
- C/C++/C#
- Python
- Arduino
- Other Hardware
- Misc
Challenges we ran into:
Our primary challenge was connecting the real-time data to some sort of user-friendly output. We wanted to have a place where our users could interact and interpret the data intuitively. Through much trial-and-error, we were able to discover solutions and put together our prototype.
Accomplishments we're proud of:
We were able to complete our project and come out with a working prototype; something we initially did not think was possible, given our level of experience as freshmen. We also were able to incorporate both hardware and software instead of focusing on just one facet. As CS majors, this endeavor was quite out of our comfort zone, but perhaps that was the most exciting part of this hacking experience. We learned as we went, combing through pages of documentations, hours of tutorials, and dozens of chip bags.
What we've learned:
We gained immense experience with hardware and software. We learned how to program in C++ in the Arduino IDE. We also learned how to create animated graphs with dynamic input using Python and its libraries. Finally, we learned how to create a cloud-based database and display that data on an app in a table view. These are all skills that we had no prior knowledge on; we learned as went, which made the hacking experience all the more meaningful.
What's next:
We would like to connect our real-time data to Firebase in order to display our data analysis in the app we've created.
Built with:
We used C++ in the Arduino IDE to handle data collection and processing with an Arduino Uno. We also used Python to create the real-time graphical displays with output from the Arduino. Finally, we used Swift to create an app table view display of data stored in Firebase.
Prizes we're going for:
- Best Use of Data Hack!
- Best Hardware Havk
- Best Software Hack
- Best Hack for a Healthier Happier World
- Best Pitch/Demo
- Best User Experience / Product Design Hack
Team Members
Saadhvi Raghav
Aditi Bansal