IoT-Based Sanitizer Station Network: A Facilities Management Case Study on Monitoring Hand Sanitizer Dispenser Usage
Abstract
:1. Introduction
Studies | Application Scenario | Deployed Techniques |
---|---|---|
Herbert, Horsham, Ford, Wall and Hacker [26] | Applying a smart handwashing station to improve hand hygiene compliance with real-time feedback (regarding the effectiveness of handwashing). | Camera, UV light, and tablet installed on handwashing station for detecting and displaying unwashed areas of hands. |
Chowdhury and De [29] | Sensorized sanitizer station to monitor the sanitizer usage and remaining level. | Liquid stage sensor installed on sanitizer station, with WiFi for data communication. |
Bal and Abrishambaf [23] | Sensorized sanitizer station to monitor the compliance with hand hygiene of medical staff. | RFID tag and an infrared sensor for monitoring the hand hygiene compliance of each staff; ZigBee and WiFi for data communication. |
Meydanci, Adali, Ertas, Dizbay, and Akan [25] | Sensorized sanitizer station for monitoring the compliance with hand hygiene of medical staff. | RFID tags for monitoring hand cleaning behaviors; ZigBee for data communication. |
Tadikonda [28] | Sensorized sanitizer station for monitoring the level of sanitizer. | Ultrasonic sensor for monitoring the level of sanitizer bottle; WiFi for data communication. |
Sumbawati, Chandra, Wrahatnolo, Ningrum, Khotimah, and Fathoni [27] | Sensorized dispenser with smart control for automated serving of sanitizer and reducing waste. | Ultrasonic sensor for detecting presence of human hands. |
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Concept Development
2.2. Sensor Module Selection
- Low-cost: each sensor costs USD 40–45, which is affordable for deployment scale up.
- Wire-free power supply: the sensors are powered by batteries with a lifetime of up to 5–10 years. The sensors are, therefore, easy to deploy and have no requirement of being near a power source.
- Wireless data communication: the sensors use LoRaWAN for data communication, which is a low-power solution for long-range communication.
- Remote configuration and management: the sensor manufacturer provides an accessible network server service (Radio Bridge Console [31]), allowing remote sensor configuration and troubleshooting.
- Multiple triggering mechanisms: the sensor can detect several different events through three different mechanisms, namely, wire connection/disconnection (Event A), tamper switch for detecting sensor shell open (Event B), and magnetic trigger for sensor status checking (Event C).
2.3. Sensor Deployment
2.3.1. Existing Sanitizer Dispenser Stations
2.3.2. “Plug-and-Play” Sensor Unit Design for Monitoring Dispenser Interactions
2.4. Wireless Network
2.4.1. Wide-Area Network
- Private WAN: the wireless network can be created using a single gateway without paying for access to a cellular network.
- Long-range communication: the signal coverage range can be up to 10 miles (16 km) with line-of-sight and approx. 1–3 miles (1.5–5 km) around/inside buildings.
- Cost-effectiveness: the LoRa network follows a “star topology”, with which a single gateway (USD 600) can cover up to hundreds of end-node devices for decreased cost of implementation.
2.4.2. Network Server
2.4.3. Application Server
- Sensor status checking: the received data packet is used to monitor the sensor operational status, such as signal quality (via the received signal strength indicator, RSSI) and battery life.
- Real-time tracking of sanitizer usage: both the “push” and “replace” events are analyzed to monitor the number of push events after the most recent replacement, which tracks sanitizer usage.
- Visualization: dispenser conditions and their locations are presented graphically.
- Usage-pattern discovery: the recorded sanitizer usage data can assist in discovering historical patterns, such as the temporal and spatial usage trends on campus, which can help in assessing compliance with hand hygiene recommendations.
- Early warning of empty sanitizers: rule-based alarms and notifications can be set to notify the facility managers and operators about sanitizer dispensers close to empty and those that are malfunctioning.
2.5. Test of Sanitizer Dispenser Network Operation
2.5.1. Test of Sensor Configuration
2.5.2. Field Test of Sanitizer Network Operation
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Test of Sensor Module Configuration
3.2. Test of System Operation in the Field
4. Conclusions, Limitations, and Further Work
4.1. Conclusions
4.2. Limitations and Further Work
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Device | Location |
---|---|
Gateway | 2nd Floor (213) × 1 |
Sensors | 1st Floor × 7 |
2nd Floor × 14 | |
3rd Floor × 3 |
Real Time | 1-min Interval | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Experiment | Count | Error Rate | Count | Error Rate |
1 | 3 | 0.7 | 9 | 0.1 |
2 | 2 | 0.8 | 10 | 0 |
3 | 2 | 0.8 | 9 | 0.1 |
4 | 3 | 0.7 | 10 | 0 |
5 | 3 | 0.7 | 7 | 0.3 |
6 | 3 | 0.7 | 10 | 0 |
7 | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | 0 |
8 | 3 | 0.7 | 9 | 0.1 |
9 | 3 | 0.7 | 10 | 0 |
10 | 3 | 0.7 | 10 | 0 |
Average | 3 | 0.7 | 9.4 | 0.06 |
Location | Average of RSSI | Received Messages | Error Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Westmost entry | −108.5 | 2 | 0.997 |
212 classroom | −64.83 | 6 | 0.992 |
213 lobby | −37.86 | 7 | 0.990 |
219 classroom | −84.43 | 7 | 0.990 |
Mail room | −102.86 | 7 | 0.990 |
R111 | −62.57 | 7 | 0.990 |
R309 | −81.86 | 7 | 0.990 |
220 large classroom | −79.1 | 690 | 0.042 |
D139 | −78.4 | 690 | 0.042 |
214 classroom | −55.6 | 695 | 0.035 |
R211 | −63.48 | 696 | 0.033 |
R212 | −63.47 | 696 | 0.033 |
R222 west elevator | −77.22 | 696 | 0.033 |
Stairs near walk thru | −78.03 | 696 | 0.033 |
153 | −98.97 | 697 | 0.032 |
221 classroom | −86.05 | 697 | 0.032 |
215 classroom | −55.01 | 698 | 0.031 |
Stairs by parklet | −102.45 | 698 | 0.031 |
201H east elevator | −95.68 | 699 | 0.029 |
217 classroom | −74.12 | 700 | 0.028 |
3rd floor east elevator | −100.11 | 702 | 0.025 |
R319 | −94.35 | 703 | 0.024 |
R235 | −96.29 | 704 | 0.022 |
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Zhao, J.; Zhou, B.; Butler, J.P.; Bock, R.G.; Portelli, J.P.; Bilén, S.G. IoT-Based Sanitizer Station Network: A Facilities Management Case Study on Monitoring Hand Sanitizer Dispenser Usage. Smart Cities 2021, 4, 979-994. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities4030051
Zhao J, Zhou B, Butler JP, Bock RG, Portelli JP, Bilén SG. IoT-Based Sanitizer Station Network: A Facilities Management Case Study on Monitoring Hand Sanitizer Dispenser Usage. Smart Cities. 2021; 4(3):979-994. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities4030051
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhao, Junqi, Boyang Zhou, Jared P. Butler, Randall G. Bock, Joseph P. Portelli, and Sven G. Bilén. 2021. "IoT-Based Sanitizer Station Network: A Facilities Management Case Study on Monitoring Hand Sanitizer Dispenser Usage" Smart Cities 4, no. 3: 979-994. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities4030051