Sensor Integration
Ward integrates with BLE wristbands for proximity verification, elopement detection, and real-time patient list ordering.
Sensor Types
Sensor Hub
The sensor hub is an on-premise gateway running a headless daemon that:
- Processes wristband data for proximity and elopement alerts
- Monitors wristband health (battery, connectivity)
- Reports fleet telemetry (CPU, memory, disk, BLE radio status) to Ward's cloud
- Auto-updates with signature verification and automatic rollback
- Communicates securely with Ward's cloud over HTTPS
Each unit needs at least one hub.
Patient Wristbands
BLE wristbands worn by patients:
- Enable proximity verification for observations
- Enable elopement detection via fixed BLE receivers
- Provide real-time distance for patient list ordering
Assign one wristband per patient.
Fixed BLE Receivers
BLE gateways that detect wristband signals and forward to the hub via HTTP:
- Exit receivers (base deployment) — placed at unit exits, stairwells, and facility exits for elopement detection
- Room doorway receivers (optional) — placed at patient room doorways to enable room-level geofencing and presence confirmation
Hardware Setup
Installing the Hub
- Connect hub to facility network (ethernet recommended, WiFi supported)
- Power on the hub
- Wait for the hub to boot (~60 seconds) — the status LED turns red (unprovisioned)
- The hub advertises itself on the local network
Registering the Hub
- Open the Ward app on a device connected to the same network as the hub
- Navigate to Management → Devices → Add Hub
- The app discovers unprovisioned hubs on the local network
- Tap the discovered hub and select a unit assignment
- The app registers the hub and configures it automatically
- Hub confirms connection — status LED turns green
Adding Wristbands
- In Management → Devices, tap Add Wristband
- On mobile, nearby unregistered wristbands are detected automatically and listed by signal strength — tap one to select it
- Or enter the MAC address manually
- Optionally assign to a patient immediately
Wristbands can also be assigned to patients later from the patient detail screen.
Adding BLE Receivers
- Mount the receiver at the boundary point (unit exit, stairwell, facility exit, or room doorway)
- Power and network connect the receiver
- In Management → Devices, add the receiver
- Set boundary type (unit exit, stairwell, facility exit, or room doorway)
- If room doorway: select the room this receiver monitors
- Associate with the hub
Proximity Verification
With a wristband assigned to a patient, the staff phone:
- Scans for nearby BLE wristbands
- Calculates distance from signal strength
- Auto-verifies proximity when within configured threshold
- Records distance with the observation
Staff see "Proximity Verified" with distance when documenting if the wristband is detected.
Patient List Ordering
The patient list sorts by proximity — nearest patients appear first. This updates in real-time as staff move through the facility. Patients without wristbands appear below detected patients.
On wider screens (landscape tablets and desktop), the patient list is always visible as a sidebar alongside every screen, so proximity-sorted patients are accessible from the dashboard, alerts, shift view, or any other screen.
Elopement Detection
For patients with elopement risk and a configured geofence:
- Assign a wristband to the patient
- Configure geofence level (unit, floor, or campus — room level available when room doorway receivers are installed)
- Fixed BLE receivers detect the wristband at boundaries
- Hub evaluates whether detection constitutes a violation
- Alert triggers after confirmation
Wristband Health
The hub continuously monitors all registered wristbands:
- Battery: Warning at 20%, critical at 10%
- Connectivity: Alert if not seen for >1 hour
Health indicators appear on patient cards and in the device management screen.
Device Management
Viewing Device Status
Navigate to Management → Devices to see:
- All registered devices (hubs, wristbands, receivers)
- Online/offline status
- Battery level (wristbands)
- Last seen timestamp
- Hub software version and health metrics
Hub Fleet Management
The device management screen provides fleet-level visibility for hubs:
- Status: Online/offline, software version, uptime
- Health: CPU, memory, disk usage, CPU temperature, BLE radio status
- Updates: Current version vs. latest available, version pinning per hub
Hubs auto-update and roll back automatically if an update fails.
Device Health Alerts
Ward alerts when devices have issues:
- Wristband battery low or critical
- Wristband or hub offline
- Hub degraded (high CPU, low disk, outdated version)
Hub Status LED
The hub has an LED that indicates its current state:
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Solid green | Connected to Ward's cloud |
| Solid red | Unprovisioned — needs to be registered |
| Alternating green/red blink | Provisioned but can't reach cloud |
| Red blink | Error |
Troubleshooting
Hub offline:
- Check the status LED (see table above)
- Check power connection
- Verify network connectivity
- If on the same network, use Local Diagnostics:
- Open the hub's detail screen in Management → Devices
- Enter the hub's hostname (e.g.
ward-hub-1.local) or IP address - View real-time CPU, memory, BLE radio status, uptime, and wristband count
- Restart the hub if needed
Hub not updating:
- Verify hub can reach Ward's CDN (outbound HTTPS)
- Check the hub's current version in device management
- Trigger a manual update or unpin the version from device management
Wristband not detecting:
- Check battery level
- Verify wristband is assigned to patient
- Ensure staff phone has Bluetooth enabled
Proximity not verifying:
- Confirm patient has a wristband assigned
- Check that staff phone BLE scanning is active
- Move closer to patient — RSSI accuracy improves at shorter range
Enterprise RTLS Integration
For facilities with existing Real-Time Location Systems, Ward can integrate with your current infrastructure through custom integration projects.
Contact your Ward representative to discuss RTLS integration requirements.