During the first semester of second year, we looked at creating a smartwatch UI and the content we include and how it is structured. I really enjoyed this project so I decided to look back at some other ideas I could create as a small personal project to help develop my skills. I started off by going back to some of the ideas I had thought of using my mindmaps surrounding travel and health.
An idea that had really stood out to me but I never pursued was jellyfish stings especially within the beaches of Northern Ireland but could be something that could be extended out through to other countries using GPS tracking which would notify you on the jellyfish of that area and their sting toxicity. I also really liked the idea of allergy tracking such as pollens or animal furs as it is something that a large number of people struggle with and would cause a lot of impact. I had looked at pollen detection as an idea but did eventually chose blood sugar monitoring instead.
I started off looking at Jellyfishes as I felt it was quite a strong idea especially on the beaches near I live as I know multiple people who had been stung before. I looked at the 5 main types of jellyfish, their power, when they are mostly scene and what they look like so you can look out for them. I also took a look at the symptoms of a sting and when to seek medical advice for them. From this research Anaphylactic shocks from stings came to my attention which I thought would be a really good idea which is also broader as multiple stings, foods and animals can cause it.
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs very quickly, usually within minutes of coming into contact with something you are allergic to such as food, medicine or insect stings. These allergic reactions can cause symptoms such as feeling faint, finding it hard to breathe, a fast heartbeat or feeling anxious. It is treated by using an adrenaline injector and the majority of the time medical attention is needed and many people end up in hospital
An anaphylactic shock is triggered by an allergic reaction which is caused by a sudden release of chemicals from cells within an individuals immune system. The release is triggered by the reaction between the immune system antibodies (Immunoglobulin E or IgE) and the food or substance (allergen) it has been exposed to. The body will have been exposed to the allergen on a previous occasion, although the person may not have been aware of this at the time. On that earlier occasion, the allergen was wrongly identified as a threat and antibodies were made against it, which means that on the next exposure, a serious reaction may occur. The allergy can be so sensitive that sometimes even tiny amounts of the allergen can cause an allergic reaction and trigger a shock.
Some of the most common causes are:
Insect stings
Around 1 in 100 people will experience an allergic reaction after a wasp or bee sting, but only a small number of these people will go on to develop severe anaphylaxis.
Foods