A device to remotely monitor the vital signs of COVID and non-COVID patients was indigenously developed by doctors at ESIC Medical College, Sanathnagar, in collaboration with Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). The wearable device measures blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature.
This was one of the three products inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy at the college on Saturday.
If there are any abnormalities in the vitals, an alert will be sent to doctors. Besides, contacts of family members, and ambulances, can be fed into it so that they too will receive the alerts. The tracking and alerting system uses indigenous Bhuvan Maps developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space. The patient and the doctors or others can be in any part of the country or the world.
Head of the Department of Physiology at the medical college Dr. Madhurima T is one of the team members who developed the product. She said that this product can be used to monitor the vitals of COVID-19 patients admitted in hospitals, and those isolated at home. While there are devices that measure the vitals and send the alerts, Dr. Madhurima said that this is a one-of-the-kind device which tracks the five parameters.
It can be used by patients suffering from other health ailments also or who need constant monitoring. Family members of people in old age homes too, can use this to know the health status.
The Physiology department head said that they had tested three to four versions of the device and the final product will be rolled out soon. Dean of the medical college Dr. M. Srinivas said that it will soon be introduced in the market for wider use by public.
