According to a report published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), it is possible to use Wi-Fi technology to detect when someone is having trouble breathing.
According to what this study indicates, a Wi-Fi signal can detect changes in human breathing through solid obstacles such as walls, leading to the development of devices that alert people or emergency services if someone is having breathing difficulties. .
Detection of breathing difficulties and other health conditions using Wi-Fi networks
This initiative could be especially useful for people who may be at risk of asthma attacks or other respiratory conditions, such as sleep apnea syndrome.
From the NIST they indicate that this technology could have applications beyond the detection of respiratory problems. For example, it could be used to detect when someone is having a heart attack or a fall, as well as to monitor people’s sleep, detecting abnormal patterns that could be indicative of health problems.
The translation of the data patterns collected in the diagnosis of a respiratory condition or other condition will be carried out using deep learning algorithms. “All the ways we collect the data are done in the software at the access point (in this case the router), which could be done using an app on a phone”, commented Jason Coder, director of this investigation. “This paper tries to expose how someone can develop and test their own algorithm. This is a framework to help them get relevant information”he added.
An important detail about this system is that it will have the ability to alert the emergency services in the event of any complication such as those exemplified above.
In general, the creators of this technology hope that this technology will help improve people’s health and safety by providing a more accurate and faster way to detect certain health problems and provide timely alerts to receive required care.
It is important to point out that this technology has only been tested with a robotic dummy (the one in the attached image) and that it is still under development, with many technical details still to be resolved before it can be widely used.
Among the difficulties that require an urgent solution, it is mentioned that there may be interference with other Wi-Fi signals or electronic devices, which, if not properly isolated, could completely disturb the work of this new system.
While Wi-Fi technology for detecting respiratory and other health problems may have the potential to improve people’s health and safety, it is important to ensure that it is used responsibly and ethically. Regarding this aspect, the eventual release of this technology to the public, once its development is completed, must provide guarantees of privacy and the security of the data collected about people.