Design And Construction Of A Stress Meter Part One

Description

ABSTRACT

 This work is on stress meter. This stress monitor lets you assess your emotional pain. If the stress is very high, it gives visual indication through a light-emitting diode (LED) display along with a warning beep. This device is based on the principle that the resistance of the skin varies in accordance with your emotional states. If the stress level is high the skin offers less resistance, and if the body is relaxed the skin resistance is high. The low resistance of the skin during high stress is due to an increase in the blood supply to the skin. This increases the permeability of the skin and hence the conductivity for electric current.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

Stress is a physiological condition in which the body becomes excited to face an emergency situation.  Increase in heart rate, breathing rate etc occurs during a high stress state.  A permanent stress condition is harmful to the body and may results in many health problems.  The circuit described here is useful to monitor the stress level before and after practicing a relaxation exercise.

The resistance of the skin varies, if the stress level is high the skin offers less resistance and if the body is relaxed the skin resistance is high. During high stress there is increase in the blood supply to the skin, this increases the permeability of the skin.  High stress causes sweating and leakage of water from the blood vessels in the skin. This makes the skin moist and electrical conductivity increases.

The subject of study – stress meter, is useful to monitor the stress level before and after practicing a relaxation exercise.

1.1                                             OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The objective of this work is to design a device that monitors one’s emotional pain. If the stress is very high, it gives visual indication through a light-emitting diode (LED) display along with a warning beep.

1.2                                                 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

Stress meter is based on the principle that the resistance of the skin varies in accordance with your emotional states. If the stress level is high the skin offers less resistance, and if the body is relaxed the skin resistance is high. The low resistance of the skin during high stress is due to an increase in the blood supply to the skin. This increases the permeability of the skin and hence the conductivity for electric current.

This property of the skin is used here to measure the stress level. The touch pads of the stress meter sense he voltage variations across the touch pads and convey the same to the circuit. The circuit is very sensitive and detects even a minute voltage variation across the touch pads.

 1.3                                         APPLICATIONS OF THE PROJECT

Stress level indicator is used:

• For measuring resistance of skin.
• To know mental state of person.
• In diagnosis of excessive sweating

1.4                                          ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT

This device is chose and used for the following reasons:

• It is Portable. The gadget is small enough to be worn around the wrist.
• Low power consumption.
• Low cost.
• Highly sensitive to small currents.

1.5                                           LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

• Less accuracy.
• Output is not measurable.