Problem Statement
To combat the growing death rates due to drug overdoses, rapid response and administration of reversible drugs are essential. We analyzed Illicit Drug Deaths data in Canada and found a high correlation (95%) between drug overdosed and accidental death. We developed a sensor using an Arduino to monitor the oxygen level and heart rate. Testing the sensor on four individuals with different activities has shown promising results. Histograms of heart rates indicated that the devices could track the correct rise and fall of the users’ heart rate. We expect that the developed sensor can be used at injection sites, helping nurses monitor a large group of patients with a prompt response time. Opioid drug overdoses in North America have severely increased since 2000. British Columbia has seen a 76% increase in the number of illicit fentanyl-related overdose deaths over 5 years.
