The Wireless Hospital (WILHO) project from the University of Oulu announced this week open-source release of one of the project results. This is a wireless NFC+RFID reader design around the CC2430 and NanoStack, along with a corresponding receiving graphical application for the Nokia N770 Internet Tablet. This setup was used for improving hospital logistic in the research project. You can find the ISG-WILHO project web-page here:
The code for both the wireless NFC+RFID reader (NanoStack SW, HW design, Instructions) and the the N770 Ideasilo application (SW, Instructions) on the NanoStack SVN under Contribs/Wilho and on the downloads page as packages.
Here is the press release from the research project:
PRESS RELEASE 1.7.2008
Free for immediate publication
New RFID technology speeds up processes in a wireless hospital
Radio frequency identification combined with wireless technology can make routine tasks less time-consuming
in a hospital. The Intelligent Systems Group and Centre for Wireless Communications, University of Oulu,
have together developed new RFID technology that communicates with a mobile terminal wirelessly.
User interfaces are about to be revolutionized when RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
technology and interfaces working by touch become a reality in everyday life. Mobile terminals will
appear, through which people can collect and share information with others. “In hospitals these
terminals and wireless communication can optimize many routine tasks and free resources for actual
nursing”, says Professor Jukka Riekki, ISG Wilho Project Leader.
As a result of the project a software platform and a small wireless RFID reader, which communicates
with Nokia 770 terminal wirelessly, have been created. NFC (Near Field Communication) compliant
RFID technology was used in the project, due to its suitability to personal area network technology.
A communicating link between the terminal and a device can be established by touching a tag on the
device. The short-range wireless communication follows the IEEE 802.15.4 and 6LoWPAN
standards.
As one scenario for RFID technology the ordering of ward supplies, such as clothes, was chosen. It is
much less time-consuming, when the nurses can order supplies by simply touching a RFID tag related
to these items, say a morning gown of size medium, with the RFID reader. When the ordering
application is started, an empty ordering form is displayed. As a tag is read, the corresponding item is
added to the order form. The nurse can then manually modify the data, for example the amount of
the morning gowns, if needed. After completing the form, one button press can send the form
forward.
The software developed for the Nokia 770 terminal can also be utilised also on much larger scale,
for instance in delivering real-time information about new patient entries, laboratory results or
operating room status reports to the wireless terminals of the staff members. The hospital wards
might even be equipped with fixed, large displays, which contain patient-related information for a
patient and key information about the ward to the nurses.
The open source deliverables of the project are available at www.nanostack.org. The project was
funded by the Finnish Funding Acency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) as well as Nokia, ODL
Health, Oulu University Hospital, Sensinode Ltd. and Medanets Ltd.
“We are excited about the direction this project has taken healthcare logistics, combining
Sensinode's 6LoWPAN wireless technology with RFID to greatly improve efficiency”, states Head of
Research Zach Shelby, Sensinode Ltd.
For further information, please contact Professor Jukka Riekki, Intelligent Systems Group, University
of Oulu, tel. +358 40 551 2122 and Head of Research Zach Shelby, Sensinode Ltd., tel. +358
40 779 6297.
The Intelligent Systems Group and the Centre for Wireless Communications are members of Infotech Oulu http://www.infotech.oulu.fi
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The Wireless Hospital (WILHO) project from the University of Oulu announced this week open-source release of one of the project results. This is a wireless NFC+RFID reader design around the CC2430 and NanoStack, along with a corresponding receiving graphical application for the Nokia N770 Internet Tablet. This setup was used for improving hospital logistic in the research project. You can find the ISG-WILHO project web-page here:
http://www.ee.oulu.fi/research/isg/projects/isgwilho
The code for both the wireless NFC+RFID reader (NanoStack SW, HW design, Instructions) and the the N770 Ideasilo application (SW, Instructions) on the NanoStack SVN under Contribs/Wilho and on the downloads page as packages.
Here is the press release from the research project:
PRESS RELEASE 1.7.2008
Free for immediate publication
New RFID technology speeds up processes in a wireless hospital
Radio frequency identification combined with wireless technology can make routine tasks less time-consuming
in a hospital. The Intelligent Systems Group and Centre for Wireless Communications, University of Oulu,
have together developed new RFID technology that communicates with a mobile terminal wirelessly.
User interfaces are about to be revolutionized when RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
technology and interfaces working by touch become a reality in everyday life. Mobile terminals will
appear, through which people can collect and share information with others. “In hospitals these
terminals and wireless communication can optimize many routine tasks and free resources for actual
nursing”, says Professor Jukka Riekki, ISG Wilho Project Leader.
As a result of the project a software platform and a small wireless RFID reader, which communicates
with Nokia 770 terminal wirelessly, have been created. NFC (Near Field Communication) compliant
RFID technology was used in the project, due to its suitability to personal area network technology.
A communicating link between the terminal and a device can be established by touching a tag on the
device. The short-range wireless communication follows the IEEE 802.15.4 and 6LoWPAN
standards.
As one scenario for RFID technology the ordering of ward supplies, such as clothes, was chosen. It is
much less time-consuming, when the nurses can order supplies by simply touching a RFID tag related
to these items, say a morning gown of size medium, with the RFID reader. When the ordering
application is started, an empty ordering form is displayed. As a tag is read, the corresponding item is
added to the order form. The nurse can then manually modify the data, for example the amount of
the morning gowns, if needed. After completing the form, one button press can send the form
forward.
The software developed for the Nokia 770 terminal can also be utilised also on much larger scale,
for instance in delivering real-time information about new patient entries, laboratory results or
operating room status reports to the wireless terminals of the staff members. The hospital wards
might even be equipped with fixed, large displays, which contain patient-related information for a
patient and key information about the ward to the nurses.
The open source deliverables of the project are available at www.nanostack.org. The project was
funded by the Finnish Funding Acency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) as well as Nokia, ODL
Health, Oulu University Hospital, Sensinode Ltd. and Medanets Ltd.
“We are excited about the direction this project has taken healthcare logistics, combining
Sensinode's 6LoWPAN wireless technology with RFID to greatly improve efficiency”, states Head of
Research Zach Shelby, Sensinode Ltd.
For further information, please contact Professor Jukka Riekki, Intelligent Systems Group, University
of Oulu, tel. +358 40 551 2122 and Head of Research Zach Shelby, Sensinode Ltd., tel. +358
40 779 6297.
The Intelligent Systems Group and the Centre for Wireless Communications are members of Infotech Oulu
http://www.infotech.oulu.fi