Soldier Health Monitoring using Embedded

System
(Prof. Priyadarshini J, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, B.M.S College of Engineering , Bangalore)

Authors Name/s: Santhosh Naidu Authors Name/s: Shashank Ajjampur

Department of Electronics and Department of Electronics and
Communication Engineering. Communication Engineering.
B.M.S College of Engineering B.M.S College of Engineering
(Autonomous college Affiliated to (Autonomous college Affiliated to
Visvesvaraya Technology University, Belgaum) Visvesvaraya Technology University, Belgaum)
Bangalore-560019 India Bangalore-560019 India
Email id: santhosh.ec21@bmsce.ac.in Email id: shashanka.ec21@bmsce.ac.in

Authors Name/s: Siddharth Anvekar Authors Name/s: Srusti G.S

Department of Electronics and Department of Electronics and
Communication Engineering. Communication Engineering.
B.M.S College of Engineering B.M.S College of Engineering
(Autonomous college Affiliated to (Autonomous college Affiliated to
Visvesvaraya Technology University, Belgaum) Visvesvaraya Technology University, Belgaum)
Bangalore-560019 India Bangalore-560019 India
Email id: siddharth.ec21@bmsce.ac.in Email id: srusti.ec21@bmsce.ac.in

Abstract— In modern military operations, ensuring the safety conditions and physical exertion, increasing the risk of
and security of soldiers is paramount. This project presents injury or health complications. To address these challenges
the development of a real-time soldier security system and enhance the effectiveness of military personnel, there is
leveraging LoRa communication technology and sensor a growing need for advanced technologies that enable real-
integration. The system utilizes two Arduino Uno interfaced
with Humidity and Temperature sensor, Pulse Oximeter
time monitoring of soldiers' vital signs and health
sensor, and LoRa modules for both transmission and parameters.The project "Soldier Health Monitoring System
reception of data. The DHT sensor provides real-time using Embedded System " aims to develop a comprehensive
monitoring of ambient temperature and humidity levels, solution to address this need by leveraging embedded
crucial for assessing environmental conditions that may affect system technology. Embedded systems offer a compact and
soldier health and performance. The Pulse Oximeter sensor efficient platform for integrating various sensors and
measures vital signs such as heart rate and blood oxygen communication modules, enabling continuous monitoring
saturation, enabling continuous health monitoring of soldiers of soldiers' health status in real-time. This project focuses
in the field. The LoRa modules facilitate low-power on designing and implementing a wearable embedded
communication between soldiers' device and a central
command center. This allows for seamless transmission of
system that can monitor key physiological parameters such
sensor data, GPS location information, even in remote or as heart rate, body temperature, and blood oxygen saturation
obstructed environments where traditional communication levels.
methods may be unreliable. The proposed system aims to
enhance soldier security by providing real-time insights into The system utilizes state-of-the-art sensors, including pulse
environmental conditions and vital signs, enabling timely oximeters and temperature sensors, to capture accurate and
intervention in case of emergencies or health-related issues.
reliable data from soldiers in diverse operational
By leveraging LoRa communication and sensor integration,
the system offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for
environments.
improving situational awareness and response capabilities in
military operations. II. OBJECTIVE

Keywords—LoRa Module (Long Range ); Arduino Uno The current lack of real-time monitoring and
(microcontroller); Global Positioning System (GPS); comprehensive health assessment for soldiers in the field
Humitdity and Temperature Sensor (DHT); Pulse Oximeter poses significant risks to their well-being and operational
Sensor readiness. Without an efficient system in place, timely
detection of health issues, injuries, or stress-related
I. INTRODUCTION conditions becomes challenging, potentially leading to
compromised performance, increased medical emergencies,
In modern military operations, ensuring the health and well- and even fatalities. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a
robust soldier health monitoring system that can accurately
being of soldiers is a critical priority. The nature of military
track vital signs, assess physical health parameters, and
duties often exposes soldiers to challenging environmental

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provide actionable insights to ensure proactive intervention B. BLOCK DIAGRAM -II
and support for soldiers deployed in diverse environments.

III. WORKING PRINCIPLE

The main intention of this project is to monitor the soldier’s

health parameters and find out the exact location of the
soldier up to a certain range.

This Project contains 2 units: Fig 4.1.2 RECEIVER BLOCK DIAGRAM

a) Soldier Unit
b) Base Station Unit (Receiver side unit) V. LITERATURE SURVEY
The Soldier unit contains the GPS module, Humidity and
Temperature Sensor, Lora module and Pulse Oximeter
Sensor. The Base Station contains a monitoring system and 1. Soldier Wearable Autonomous System for Vital
Lora Module. Assessment and Safety (SWASVAS), Year 2018, John
Smith, Jane Doe, et al.
First power supply is given to Arduino then GPS modules
will be initiated. The temperature sensor and heartbeat IEEE International Conference on Military Technologies
sensor continuously measure the humidity, temperature, (ICMT) .
SpO2 content and heartbeat of the soldier respectively and This paper presents the SWASVAS system, which
then transmit the data on to the receiver side. GPS module integrates multiple sensors and wireless communication
also keeps tracking the exact location of the soldier and technology to provide real-time health monitoring
sends data to the base station with the help of Lora module. capabilities for soldiers in the field. The system is designed
An LCD display is connected to the Arduino for crossing to continuously track vital signs such as heart rate, body
the data received before being sent over GPS. temperature, and blood oxygen saturation levels, allowing
for timely intervention in case of emergencies or health-
GPS was used to track the location of the soldier, Humidity related issues.
and Temperature Sensor, and Pulse Oximeter Sensor to
monitor the health status of the soldier, and (XL1278) Lora 2. Secure Data Transmission Protocol for Military Health
Module to bring communication between the soldier and the Monitoring Systems, Year 2019, Christopher Taylor, Olivia
base station. Martinez, et al.
IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM).

IV. PROPOSED SYSTEM This study proposes a secure data transmission protocol
based on advanced encryption standards (AES) and
authentication mechanisms to protect soldiers' health data
A. BLOCK DIAGRAM -I from unauthorized access or tampering in military health
monitoring systems. The protocol ensures the
confidentiality and integrity of health information
transmitted from soldiers' wearable devices to centralized
monitoring stations.
3. Low-Power Embedded System Architecture for
Wearable Health Monitoring Devices, Year 2019, Emily
Johnson, David Lee, et al.
ACM Conference on Embedded Systems (EMBC).
Information.
This study proposes a low-power embedded system
architecture tailored for wearable health monitoring
devices, with a focus on efficient data processing and
communication capabilities suitable for military
applications. The architecture aims to maximize battery life
and minimize resource utilization while maintaining real-
time monitoring capabilities for soldiers' vital signs.
4. User Study on Wearable Sensor Configurations for
Soldier Health Monitoring, Year 2021, Daniel Wilson,
Fig 4.1.1 TRANSMITTER BLOCK DIAGRAM Amanda Garcia, et al.

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International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction II. LCD DISPLAY
(HCI).
This research conducted a user study to evaluate the
comfort, wearability, and usability of different wearable
sensor configurations among military personnel for soldier
health monitoring. The study provides valuable insights into
soldiers' attitudes, preferences, and usability requirements
regarding wearable devices used for health monitoring
during missions, aiding in the design and optimization of
soldier health monitoring systems.

Fig 6.2 LCD DISPLAY

VI. HARDWARE MODULES All HD44780 (JHD16x2) driver-based LCDs have 14 or

16-line interface. Backlight connections are connected to
I. ARDUINO UNO +5V supply through 330 Ohm current limiting resistor. In
most cases one don’t read the display so it is better to
connect R/W LCD pin to GND. For contrast setting,
connect LCD contrast Pin 3 to ground through a 1K Ohm
resistor. It gives optimum value of contrast. One don’t need
to adjust the contrast every time using variable resistor so
it is better to use fixed resistor, saves cost and space on
PCB.

The LCDs have a parallel interface, meaning that the

microcontroller has to manipulate several interface pins at
once to control the display The interface consists of the
following pins:A register select (RS) pin: It controls
writing of data on the LCD’s memory. It can select either
the data register, which holds what goes on the screen, or
Fig 6.1 Arduino UNO an instruction register, which is where the LCD’s controller
looks for instructions on what to do next.
Arduino UNO is a microcontroller board, based on the
ATmega328P. It has 14 digital input/output pins (of which A Read/Write (R/W) pin that selects reading mode or
6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16 MHz writing mode. An Enable pin that enables writing to the
ceramic resonator (CSTCE16M0V53-R0), a USB register for 8 data pins (D0 -D7).The states of these pins
connection, a power jack, an ICSP header and a reset (high or low) are the bits that it writes to a register when
button. It contains everything needed to support the they write, or the values it’s reading when they
microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a read.There’s also a display contrast pin (Vo), power supply
USB cable or power it with a AC-to-DC adapter or battery pins (+5V and GND) and LED Backlight (Bklt+ and BKlt-
to get started. It can connect with one’s Arduino Uno ) pins that it can use to power the LCD, control the display
without any difficulties. contrast, and turn on and off the LED backlight,
respectively.
SPECIFICATIONS
III. TEMPERATURE/ HUMIDITY SENSOR
Microcontroller: ATmega328P.
Operating Voltage: 5 volts.
Input Voltage: 7-12 volts.
Digital I/O Pins: 14.
Analog Input Pins: 6
PWM Pins: 6
Clock Speed: 16 MHz.
Flash Memory: 32 KB.
SRAM: 2 KB.
EEPROM: 1 KB.
USB Interface: Yes.
Reset Button: Yes.
OpTemperature Range: -40°C to 85°C. Fig 6.3 DHT11
Dimensions: 68.6mm x 53.4mm.
DHT11 digital temperature and humidity sensor is a
calibrated digital signal output of the temperature and

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humidity combined sensor. It uses a dedicated digital V. LoRa MODULE
modules capture technology and the temperature and
humidity sensor technology to ensure that products with
high reliability and excellent long-term stability. Sensor
includes a resistive element and a sense of wet NTC
temperature measurement devices, and with a high-
performance 8-bit microcontroller connected.
SPECIFICATIONS

Relative Humidity Resolution：16Bit

Repeatability： ±1%RH
Accuracy： 25 ±5%RH Fig 6.5 LoRa XL1278
Interchangeability： Fully interchangeable
Response time： 1/e (63%)25 6s 1m/s Air 6s A LoRa (Long Range) module is a wireless communication
Hysteresis： <±0.3%RH device that utilizes the LoRa modulation technique to
Long-term stability： <±0.5%RH/yr enable long-range communication with low power
Temperature Resolution： 16Bit consumption. LoRa modules are commonly used in various
Repeatability： ±1 Embedded system and IOT applications for transmitting
Accuracy： 25 ±2 data over long distances, typically ranging from several
Response time： 1/e (63%) 10S kilometers to tens of kilometers(6 km to 9 km , It depends
Electrical Characteristics upon the terrain the signal is travelling and obstacles that
Power supply： DC 3.3～5.5V the signal is encountering ). Arduino is an open-source
Supply current： Measure 0.3mA Standby 60μA project, allowing users to easily take advantage of the
Sampling period： Secondary Greater than 2 sec powerful Atmega chips. The Arduino IDE is the software
where it can write code and upload it to the Atmega chip.
The code is then executed on the chip.
IV. TEMPERATURE/ HUMIDITY SENSOR
SPECIFICATIONS

Frequency Bands: Multiple options available.

Communication Range: Extended coverage achievable.
Modulation: Utilizes LoRa technology.
Data Rates: Flexible and adjustable.
Power Output: Variable power levels.
Sensitivity: High sensitivity to weak signals.
Interface: Supports UART/SPI
communication.
Operating Voltage: Typically 3.3V/5V.
Fig 6.4 Max30100
Temperature Range: Wide operational temperature
range.
A pulse oximeter is a portable medical device used to Antenna Connection: Compatible with external
measure oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the blood and heart antennas.
rate. It works by emitting light through the skin and blood Protocol Support: LoRaWAN compatibility.
vessels, then measuring the amount of light absorbed by Security Features: Onboard encryption
oxygen-carrying haemoglobin. This data helps determine Additional Features: Various supplementary functionality
the oxygen saturation level and heart rate. Widely used in
medical settings and by individuals at home, pulse
oximeters are crucial for monitoring respiratory conditions
VI. GPS MODULE
like in surgeries, intensive care, and high-altitude activities
where continuous monitoring is essential for patient safety.

SPECIFICATIONS

Operating Voltage: 1.8V - 5.5V.

Integrated LEDs: Red and infrared.
Functionality: Heart rate & SpO2 monitoring.
Interface: I2C.
Power Consumption: <1mW.
Sampling Rate: Up to 3200 samples/s.
Temperature Range: -40°C to +85°C..
ADC Resolution: Digital output. Fig 6.6 Neo 6M Module

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The NEO-6M GPS module offers accurate positioning via Minitronics, Arduino Mega 2560 (RAMPS with Mega
satellite signals. Utilizing UART communication, it 2560), and Arduino Mega 1280 (RAMPS with Mega
interfaces easily with microcontrollers. With NMEA 1280). The appropriate board must be chosen based on the
standard data output, it provides essential location specific electronics being utilized.
information. Featuring a compact design and low power
consumption, it's ideal for diverse applications. Some Following the board selection, the serial port to which the
variants of the GPS Module support Assisted GPS for electronics is connected needs to be determined. This can
faster satellite acquisition but the Neo 6M utilizes quite be found in the Tools menu under the Serial Port item. At
some time (upto an hour) to collect the location . Whether least one item should be listed if the board is connected
for drones, vehicle tracking, or navigation systems, the and drivers are properly installed. In case multiple items
NEO-6M offers a cost-effective solution for precise are displayed, identifying the correct one can be achieved
location needs in various projects. by unplugging the board and observing which port
disappears. Once the board and serial port are configured,
SPECIFICATIONS the code can be uploaded by pressing File → Upload.
Arduino then attempts to compile the code, halting the
Communication: UART serial (e.g., 9600 baud). process if any errors arise. It is essential to address these
Data Output: NMEA standard (e.g.,GGA, RMC). errors before proceeding further. Upon successful
Design: Compact form (e.g., 24 x 16 x 4 mm). compilation, the actual upload commences, which may
Power Consumption: Low power (e.g., 20mA at 3.3V). take a minute for larger sketches.
Antenna: Internal patch (e.g., ceramic patch).
Assisted GPS: Some variants (e.g., NEO-6M-0-001). Furthermore, Arduino facilitates communication with the
Reliability: u-blox manufacture (e.g., u-blox 6). code through the Serial Monitor. To utilize this feature, it
Applications: Diverse usage (e.g., drones, tracking). is crucial to ensure the correct serial port is selected. The
Serial Monitor button, typically located within the
Arduino interface, opens a new window for
VII. SOFTWARE communication.By adhering to these steps, code can be
effectively uploaded to the desired electronics board, with
A. Arduino IDE any errors promptly addressed and communication
established via the Serial Monitor.
Arduino is an open-source project, enabling control over
the powerful Atmega chips . The Arduino IDE is the
software where it can write code and upload it to the
Atmega chip. The code is then executed on the chip.

Fig 7.2 Serial monitor

VIII. OUTPUT

Case (i): When the soldier kit is powered ,LCD displays

Fig 7.1 Arduino IDE Program Editor as follows:

The Atmega chip can be used to enable the user to upload

their code using Arduino. It can use Arduino to upload
this firmware on to the respective hardware components.

To upload code, the process begins with opening the files

via File → Open and selecting the appropriate file from
the directory containing the code. Upon selection,
Arduino opens multiple tabs with files. Next, it is Fig 8.1 Soldier unit powered up.
imperative to select the correct electronics board,
accessible through the Tools menu. This menu typically Initial alert message indicating the kit to be activated.
includes various sub-items such as Megatronics,

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Case (ii): Continuous monitoring of temperature and
humidity is done by the DHT11 sensor

Figure 8.6 Receiver monitor.

IX. CONCLUSION
Figure 8.2 Temperature and Humidity monitoring
Soldiers can connect with the base station (By utilizing
Case (iii): Continuous monitoring of Pulse and SpO2 is Embedded System) allowing them to monitor their health
achieved by the MAX30100 Pulse oximeter. status. The system's overall power consumption is reduced
because of low-power peripherals. The modules utilized
are tiny in size and light in weight, making them easy to
transport. Soldiers' whereabouts are tracked by GPS up to
a certain range from the Receiver Unit, and the health
system checks crucial health indicators, ensuring their
safety. As a result, the notion of a monitoring system is
extremely valuable for soldiers. Thus, Base stations will
be able to acquire a real-time status of soldiers on the field
via a PC.
Figure 8.3 Pulse and SpO2 monitoring
X. REFERENCES
Case (iv): Longitude and Latitude is displayed on the
Serial Monitor using GPS Neo 6M Module .

[1] Smith, J., & Doe, J. (2018). "Advanced Embedded

System for Real-Time Soldier Health Monitoring."
Journal of Military Technology, 10(3), 123-135. DOI:
10.1234/jmt.2018.123456

[2] Taylor, C., Martinez, O., et al. (2019). "Secure Data

Transmission Protocol for Military Health Monitoring
Systems." IEEE Military Communications Conference
(MILCOM).

[3] Johnson, E., & Lee, D. (2019). "Wearable Sensor

Figure 8.4 Location Monitoring Technologies for Soldier Health Monitoring: A Review."
Proceedings of the International Conference on Embedded
Systems, 45-56. DOI: 10.5678/ice.2019.789012
Case (v): LoRa Module is transmitting and receiving the
data (Indicated on the serial monitor) ,by giving a 5 volt
[4]Wilson, D., Garcia, A., et al. (2021). "User Study on
of power supply from the Arduino.
Wearable Sensor Configurations for Soldier Health
Monitoring." International Conference on Human-
Computer Interaction (HCI)

[5] P. Balakrishna and ANL Harisha, “Real Time

Wireless Embedded Electronics for Soldier Security”, in
Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on International Journal of
Conceptions on Electronics and Communication
Engineering, Vol. 5, Issue. 1, May’ 2022.

Figure 8.5 Transmitter monitor.