The feature image for the project Autism's Personal Organized Guardian.
The feature image for the project Autism's Personal Organized Guardian.
The feature image for the project Autism's Personal Organized Guardian.
The feature image for the project Autism's Personal Organized Guardian.

UNIVERSITY PROJECT | 2021

Autism's Personal Organized Guardian

A prototype wearable device built for children with autism — continuously tracking heart rate and motion, and relaying the data wirelessly to a parent-facing monitoring interface in real time, at a fraction of the cost of existing commercial solutions.

Arduino
MPU 6050
XD68C Pulse Sensor
HC-05 Bluetooth

OVERVIEW

Autism's Personal Organized Guardian (AUPOG) was built to give parents of autistic children a way to remotely monitor their child's physical wellbeing without constant close supervision. The wearable integrates an XD68C pulse sensor for continuous heart rate tracking and an MPU 6050 gyroscope for motion and activity detection. Sensor data is transmitted wirelessly via HC-05 Bluetooth to a companion monitoring interface, allowing parents to spot anomalies such as elevated heart rate or abnormal movement patterns that may signal distress or a medical event — all built within a strict RM200 budget as a practical alternative to the commercial solutions that remain out of reach for most families.

IMPLEMENTATION

TECH STACK

Microcontroller

Arduino

Sensors

MPU 6050 (Gyroscope / Accelerometer), XD68C (Pulse Sensor)

Communication

HC-05 Bluetooth Module

FEATURES

Real-time heart rate monitoring via XD68C pulse sensor

Motion and activity tracking via MPU 6050 gyroscope and accelerometer

Wireless Bluetooth data transmission to a companion parent monitoring interface

Wearable form factor designed for comfort during continuous use

Affordable hardware design as an alternative to commercial monitoring products

Remote health status visibility for parents and caregivers

CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

RM200 budget constraint

Worked within a strict RM200 budget by selecting widely available, low-cost off-the-shelf components — the MPU 6050, XD68C pulse sensor, and HC-05 Bluetooth module — each costing under a few ringgit individually. This kept the total hardware cost well within budget while covering all required sensing and communication functions.

Sensor integration and signal accuracy

Configured the MPU 6050 over I2C and the XD68C over analogue input, tuning sampling rates and applying noise filtering to produce stable, continuous readings suitable for a child in active movement.

Reliable wireless data transmission

Paired the Arduino with an HC-05 Bluetooth module to relay live sensor data from the wearable unit to the companion monitoring interface, ensuring parents receive up-to-date health readings in real time.

Wearable form factor constraints

Kept the hardware footprint minimal — compact component layout and managed wiring — to reduce the physical bulk and weight of the wearable, an important consideration for autistic children who are often sensitive to unfamiliar tactile sensations.