X-Message-Number: 7585
From:  (Randy)
Subject: Re: slow-motion detector
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 04:14:35 GMT

>Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 09:45:00 -0800 (PST)
>From: Olaf henny
>Subject: Re: slow-motion detector
>
>On Thu, 16 Jan 1997, Kennita Watson <> wrote:
>
>> How would it tell whether or not you're at home (when considering
>> reference images, include changes in lighting and poor housekeeping)?
>
>It could not, of course.  That's probably the biggest problem; you'd =
have
>to always remember to turn it off when you leave, or rig up some
>automatic system.  Or you could only use it at night, if the risk of
>dying is greater in your sleep than when wandering about (I have no idea
>whether this is the case).

:Could you not have a tiny transmitter on your bracelet, which will tell =
:the=20
:receiver on the QuickCam in a specific room, that you are in it, and =
:thereby=20
:activate it.  If none of the camreas gets an "in" signal, then the =
:implication=20
:is, that you are out, and the system shuts down, until you are back in. =
=20
:There is of course also the posibility of a (wrist-?)pulse sensor, which=
=20
:would activate an alarm, if a pulse stops for more than 10 seconds,=20
:permitting a fairly rapid response time.

I've been looking into this problem lately. A major obstacle to a
decent cryopreservation would be a day of warm ischemia on your
apartment floor after a sudden fatal heart attack.

There seem to be two routes to solving this problem:

METHOD #1.
 The BEST way, which would be a transmitter worn on the wrist or ankle
that would dial the cryo 1-800 # when appropriate. A caller ID device
on the other end would alert the cryo org and prompt a return call. I
have located an $15 FM transmitter kit ("Mighty Mite") which is
smaller than a sugar cube. The range is 300 feet (perfectly legal) and
the frequency is adjustable. The plan would be to have the transmitter
send a signal, say an audio tone, that would close a relay on an auto
dialer (more on that later). Two problems immediately present
themselves:=20

        A. Noise and how to prevent false alarms arising from such; a
series of dial tones would be the solution (a code). There is a device
available for about $15-20 known as a *tone grabber*, whch is mounted
across the speaker input of an FM radio. When the proper series of
tones is recieved, a semiconductor relay closes contacts. I  don't
know if the series of tones is programmable. And there is the problem
of how to feed the transmitter the proper series of dial tones that it
could transmit. An EPROM might do it?


         B. How to trigger the transmitter (when the cryo has
arrested):=20
       1. We could have the transmitter conduct on lack of motion by
the wearer. How to do this I don't know; possibly there is an
industrial device that alarms after a period of lack of motion.
       2. Lack of pulse: I'm not sure how this would work. There are
pulse-measuring watches around. But how they do that, I'm not sure. I
suppose I could open it up and have the pulse output charge a
capacitve network. When the pulse output goes away, the network bleed
off and that voltage level biases a semiconductor device that turns on
the FM transmitter.
      3. Low blood oxygen level: there is supposedly a device called a
pulse oximeter that alarms on low blood oxygen. It may be worn on the
finger and is presumably non-invasive. This has potential, but I don't
yet have any real info on this.

METHOD #2
 The second way to alert the cryo company of a member in trouble would
not be as good as the aforementioned systems, but might be GOOD ENOUGH
(especially for a member living alone in an apartment). A series of
infrared motion detector could be set up in an apartment. If the
contacts on the detector outputs are normally closed, and *open* on
detection of motion, you could wire all detectors in series with a
magnetic 2-state (open/closed) door switch, and when you enter the
apartment, the door switch closes to complete the circuit (When you
leave through that door the switch opens and the circuit cannot
conduct; I saw such a switch at Builders Square for about $20;
basically it takes two doors motions-opening and closing--for the
switch to change state). As long as at least ONE of the detectors
detects motion, the circuit would be OPEN, and fail to conduct
current. Once the circuit does conduct current (all contacts closed)
the auto-dialer would go to work, dialing the 1-800 #. Of course this
presupposes that the person on the other end of the 1-800 # has caller
ID, because obviously, if you're on the floor in cardiac arrest,
speaking on the phone is impossible.

Where to find motion detectors with  at least one set of *normally
closed* contacts? I spoke yesterday to a do-it-yourself security shop
here in Houston that said it had detectors with *normally open*
contacts. But I'm sure I will eventually find the right device.
=20
To complete the system I need a 12 V DC powersupply of about  .75 A
capabilty (assuming 6 or more detectors at ~ 40 mA each and reasonable
wire resistance --easy stuff: $15 at WalMart) and a 2 contact normally
open relay to close a contact on circuit conduction (easy).

=46or the autodialer, there is a device at Radio Shack that senses a
closed circuit/shorted contact  on the input and will then dial a
progammable phone number (cost $40).

Alternatively, there is a programmable speaker phone at Home Depot for
$20. The 1-800 # is programmed in and and taking the phone apart (it
does have screws), the button for that programmed number can be wired
across the relay contacts that close upon lack of motion. Also, you
have to close the phone on-off switch and do so BEFORE the number is
dialed, so you have to wire the phone on-off switch across another
contact off that relay. This involves a time delay relay in series
with the programmable number switch. In any case, a time delay before
dialing 1-800 # is desirable, to eliminate any false alarms. Of
course, you would want to have an audio alarm to tell the member that
his auto dialer is going into action ( in case of false alarm); I'm
not sure if turning the volume all the way up on the speaker phone
would be loud enough.

And then there is the problem of resetting the relay; many
semiconductor relays have a reset button, but you want an auto reset
after a certain amount of time, anyway.

Going with the Radio Shack autodialer might be best, and then hook an
audio alarm and time delay in series with that. Of course, the
security shop may have an auto dialer with a time delay, and an
audible alarm, AND a reset switch; this would be ideal. I plan to
visit them soon.

Another problem is the reset function on the motion detectors
themselves. How long after detecting a motion and opening contacts do
the detectors reset contact position and become ready to sense another
motion? I have to check that....

And then the system has to be *installed*. This involves running wires
along the baseboard in an apartment to each of the detectors. How
involves this would be depends on how picky each cryonicist is about
the appearance of the apartment.
( I suppose this system could also work in a home, but of course would
be more problematical).

And there would be problems associated with opaque show curtains, and
detector triggering by motions outside the residence, e.g., through
windows.

And detector sensitivity is a question. Is detecting motion enough? Is
detecting breathing or lack of same a concern?
Randy               =20
***********************************
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http://www.cryocare.org/cryocare/

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