We have created a convenient digital tool that makes monitoring the state of health with the help of smart tonometers easier and more effective.
Client
An American-based company (NDA), one of the leading manufacturers of smart devices for measuring vital signs – tonometers, scales, thermometers, and oximeters. The company provides doctors with modern measuring equipment and supplies its instruments with a digital environment for additional automation.
Task
Create and maintain a cross-platform mobile application for a smart tonometer, which will allow you to store and process vital signs data in a convenient digital format. The application should provide users of the devices with the following features:
Connect to a smart tonometer using Wi-Fi on Android and iOS devices.
Synchronise with the measuring device, as well as with the main database of the application on the server.
Log in to your personal account in a convenient way.
Collect and save measurement data from the device in real time.
Track summary statistics of observations by day.
Visualise information about measurement results over the past time period in a form that is understandable to most.
Get detailed information about the technical specification of the "smart" tonometer.
Sync with popular Google and Apple health monitoring apps.
Challenges
Universal monitoring tool
The application developed by our team is not just a "bridge" between smart tonometers and the mobile environment. They significantly expand the capabilities of measuring devices, using digital automation to improve the quality of processing of critical user health data.
With the help of a mobile application, you can ensure regular monitoring of blood pressure, as well as the maximum processing speed of the collected information. This is especially important for users who suffer from violations of the integrated blood pressure regulation system and are critically dependent on the timely receipt of medical monitoring data.
One-click authorization
Getting started with a mobile app is as easy as logging into your favorite social network. It is enough to log in using a personal account in Google, Facebook, or Apple ID, and also fill in a couple of lines with user information.
Smart synchronisation
Synchronization of the mobile application and the smart tonometer runs seamlessly over a wireless Wi-Fi channel. Measurement data is automatically transferred to the application database and directly to the server. The user has access to complete information on available and already connected devices, as well as the exact time of the last synchronization.
Visible changes
The user of the mobile application can independently monitor the dynamics of changes in his pressure and promptly make a decision on the need to consult with a specialist. We have added several visualization options in the form of graphs that allow you to get a reliable idea of changes over a different period — from a few days to a year. For convenience, the color scheme of the graphs reflects the degree of deviations from the norm in the visually familiar range of "red, yellow, green».
The full picture of well-being
Daily collection of blood pressure data is only part of comprehensive measures to monitor the state of health. In order to provide the user with a more holistic vision of his health, we synchronized the mobile application with the popular aggregators Google Fit and Apple Health.
When the synchronization option is enabled, the measurement data from the smart tonometer is automatically sent to the selected application. Google Fit or Apple Health compare pressure readings with data on energy exchange and other processes in the body collected by other devices, such as fitness bracelets or smart watches.
The convenience of a single account
Users of smart tonometers can connect to the digital environment of the application at any time, from any convenient device. Thanks to a single account, a convenient authorization mechanism, and seamless synchronization, data on all measurements taken will be available when logging in from any mobile device.
How we did it
We have chosen a technological base
The open-source React Native (RN) JS framework on the frontend helped to ensure platform independence, reduce labor costs and create conditions for flexible application development in a short time. Using a language with static TypeScript typing also led to significant time savings, made the code simpler, and allowed avoiding many painful bugs.
To execute JavaScript code on the server side, we chose Node platform.js, which helped to achieve unity of the frontend and backend base. The interactive user interface was created on the React library, which is technologically perfectly compatible with Node.js. The time-tested object-relational DBMS PostgreSQL took care of the application databases.
We started with the main thing
In order to create easy-to-use and useful software, at the analytics stage, our team reviewed all the steps of operation of the smart tonometer, as well as thoroughly studied the experience of its closest competitors. During the research, it was possible to determine the optimal algorithm for user interaction, which became the basis of architectural solutions and determined the basic functionality of the mobile application.
Took care of the convenience
User comfort in a mobile environment starts with a simple but perfectly thought-out appearance, so we paid special attention to the UI/UX component. The guideline was the maximum simplification of working with the application, without compromising its functionality. The result of the efforts of our design team was a minimalistic interface with conveniently located buttons that allows you to perform any action with a couple of taps on the screen.
Added manageability
To provide more convenient management from the corporate side, we have added a web-based admin panel to the mobile application. It has rich functionality and allows administrators to differentiate between quickly adding devices and managing data.
We saw a perspective
Linking one "smart" medical device with a mobile application is only the first step towards further technological development of a digital product. During the development process, our team prudently laid the foundation for further expansion of the list of connected devices. In the future, the application may become a universal tool for working with various types and brands of medical equipment with the Internet of Things (IoT) technology — from simple fitness bracelets to complex platforms for monitoring patients in hospitals.
Result
Our team has developed a functional version of a mobile application (iOS, Android) for a smart tonometer within the period of 3 months set by the customer. The created software product made it possible to significantly expand the initial functionality of the measuring device.
The application received high preliminary ratings from the doctors and technicians who tested it. With its help, the customer was able to significantly expand the market attractiveness of his offer and master new sales markets.