IoT-Based Smart Health Monitoring System - Electronic Engineering Guide
1. Introduction
The IoT-Based Smart Health Monitoring System is a project designed to monitor vital signs such as heart rate, body temperature, and blood oxygen levels in real time. The collected data is transmitted to an IoT platform, allowing healthcare providers or family members to track patient health remotely.
2. Objectives
• To monitor vital health parameters in real time.
• To transmit data over the internet for remote observation.
• To provide alerts in case of abnormal readings.
3. Components Required
• ESP8266/NodeMCU or ESP32 microcontroller
• Heartbeat Sensor (e.g., Pulse Sensor or MAX30100)
• Temperature Sensor (e.g., LM35 or DS18B20)
• OLED Display (optional)
• Wi-Fi Connectivity
• IoT platform access (ThingSpeak, Blynk, etc.)
• Breadboard, jumper wires, power supply
4. System Overview
The system consists of multiple health sensors interfaced with an ESP8266/ESP32 microcontroller. The microcontroller collects data and sends it to a cloud-based IoT platform using Wi-Fi. The platform stores and visualizes the data and can trigger alerts if values exceed safe thresholds.
5. Sensor and Microcontroller Integration
Each sensor is connected to analog or digital pins of the ESP8266/ESP32. The microcontroller periodically reads data and formats it for transmission. Sensors such as MAX30100 also use I2C communication and require initialization libraries.
6. IoT Platform and Connectivity
The microcontroller connects to Wi-Fi and uploads sensor
data to a cloud service like ThingSpeak or Blynk.
• ThingSpeak: Allows real-time plotting, alerts, and analytics.
• Blynk: Provides mobile dashboard to view live data.
Data is sent via HTTP or MQTT protocols depending on the chosen platform.
7. Circuit Design and Operation
Example connections:
• Pulse Sensor: OUT → A0, VCC → 3.3V, GND → GND
• LM35: VCC → 3.3V, OUT → A0, GND → GND
The ESP8266/ESP32 reads analog voltage, converts it into human-readable values,
and transmits to the IoT server.
8. Software and Code Explanation
The firmware reads sensor values and sends them to
ThingSpeak using HTTP POST requests.
Example Code Snippet:
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <ThingSpeak.h>
char ssid[] = "Your_SSID";
char pass[] = "Your_PASSWORD";
WiFiClient client;
unsigned long myChannelNumber = 123456;
const char * myWriteAPIKey = "XYZ123ABC";
void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);
ThingSpeak.begin(client);
}
void loop() {
float temp = analogRead(A0) * 0.488;
ThingSpeak.writeField(myChannelNumber,
1, temp, myWriteAPIKey);
delay(20000);
}
9. Applications
• Home-based patient monitoring
• Elderly care and assisted living
• Remote diagnostics in rural areas
• Fitness and wellness tracking devices
10. Challenges and Future Enhancements
• Internet connectivity issues may affect data transmission.
• Sensor accuracy must be validated regularly.
• Add GPS and fall detection for emergency response.
• Use machine learning to detect health anomalies.
• Implement data encryption for privacy.
11. Conclusion
The IoT-Based Smart Health Monitoring System is a powerful tool for continuous, remote health tracking. It enhances healthcare accessibility and provides real-time insights for better decision-making.