A wireless body sensor network for the prevention and management of asthma

We present an application of an open source platform for wireless body sensor network called DexterNet to the problem of children's asthma. The architecture of the system consists of three layers. At the body sensor layer (BSL), the integrated monitoring of a child's activities, geographic location, and air pollution exposures occurs. At the personal network layer (PNL), a wireless mobile device worn by the child summarizes the sensed data, and provides information feedback. The mobile device communicates wirelessly over the Internet with the third global network layer (GNL), in which a web server provides the following four information services: a clinical module that supports the healthcare management of asthma cases, a personal health module that supports individual prevention of asthma attacks, a community module that supports participatory sensing, and a health research module that supports the collection of anonymous sensor data for research into the risk factors associated with asthma. We illustrate the potential for the system to serve as a comprehensive strategy to manage asthma cases and prevent asthma attacks.