Mobile health monitoring and smart sensors: a product line approach

Abstract

The evolution of the population pyramid in developed countries, with an increasing proportion of aged people introduces new challenges to the public and private assistance services. A form of improving these services while keeping controlled the associated costs is to use remote continuous assistance. Wireless sensors allow obtaining real-time information of health parameters in a non-intrusive way. The determination of alert values for these parameters and the computing possibilities of the current mobile devices can facilitate a faster intervention which will minimize risks linked to delays in medical assistance. However, the diversity of risk situations is a factor that increases costs as many similar but not exactly identical products will be necessary now and in the future. We aim to solve this problem using an approach of software product lines, as multiple options can be easily incorporated to each final product implementation. This article presents the product line generic architecture and some examples of application, using wireless sensors connected to a central station by means of a smart phone, which is able to detect alarm situations.