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General Purpose Alarm Device: A programmable annunciator
Robert L Read1, Lawrence Kincheloe2, Forrest Lee Erickson1
1Public Invention, 1709 Norris Dr., Austin, TX, 78704, United States of America.
Hardwarex
|December 16, 2024
Summary
The General Purpose Alarm Device (GPAD) is an affordable, modular annunciator that enhances system monitoring and intervention. This versatile peripheral provides visual and auditory alerts with a programmable display for various engineering and scientific applications.
Area of Science:
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Complex monitoring systems often require rapid human intervention.
- Existing alarm systems can be costly and lack modularity.
- The PolyVent open-source mechanical ventilator needs integrated alarm functionality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an inexpensive, general-purpose alarm device (GPAD) for diverse applications.
- To create a modular annunciator that reduces system costs.
- To provide a flexible peripheral for computer or microcontroller integration.
Main Methods:
- Designed as a peripheral using Arduino Uno Atmega328 architecture.
- Incorporated programmable 80-character display for textual information.
- Enabled communication via USB (COM) or 5V SPI (RJ12 cable).
- Developed firmware, API, and 3D printable enclosure.
Main Results:
- The GPAD offers 5 alarm levels with escalating urgency (light, rhythm, frequency).
- Features a mute button for user control.
- Supports integration with various projects, machines, and instruments.
- Demonstrated use case with the PolyVent ventilator.
Conclusions:
- The GPAD is a versatile and cost-effective solution for alarm notification.
- Its modular design and extensibility (headers, shields) allow broad applicability.
- Facilitates enhanced monitoring and intervention in numerous scientific and engineering fields.
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