A wireless real-time remote control and tele-monitoring system for mechanical ventilators

There are many reasons lead to increase the mortality of the respiratory failure patients, who are undergoing mechanical ventilation. From these reasons, the inability of an expert physician to follow up such patients where he/she cannot stay with them all time. In addition, in many cases, lack of physicians' experience leads to the inability to provide the necessary therapeutic service at the suitable time for such patients. In this work, we provide a new approach for tele-controlling and tele-monitoring the mechanical ventilator, while tele-monitoring a patient when is demanded. In this approach, we use a simple, a small, and a lightweight unit placed inside the device in an easy and a safe way. This unit allows experts to control the device remotely using a virtual keypad via internet/intranet, while monitoring the patient him/herself. Moreover, this system can tele-control the device from anywhere without causing any defect to the internal circuitry of the device. To evaluate this system, we applied it to three types of hospital mechanical ventilators with three different types of keypads. It was easy and familiar for the operator to deal with the web control page, which has the same layout of the ventilator keypad. In addition, the operator could observe the patient and the device clearly and realistically. This system can be applied not only to mechanical ventilators but also to several other medical devices. Our system provides a wireless real-time remote control for many medical devices without any considerable delay.