Conceptual Hybrid Model for Wearable Cardiac Monitoring System

The electrocardiogram is the most convenient and widely used method of cardiac monitoring. The information provided by an ECG, has the potential to be used as a means by which cardiac arrhythmia can be detected at an early stage to prevent life-threatening complications. Its significance is widely accepted in the medical field so much so that tele-monitoring is being utilized across the world for cardiac activity. To perform cardiac monitoring more efficiently, a mobile application, used in conjunction with a sensor unit, is designed to perform real-time monitoring of the cardiac signal. The device consists of 3-lead EKG patches with an integrated Bluetooth module allowing a point-to-point pairing between the hardware and the smartphone application. The hardware can either be placed on humanoid robot arm fingers or used separately connected to a wearable patch placed on the chest, this significant feature enables hybrid functionality of the device. A real-time EKG signal is transmitted to the Android application, on which a time vs. voltage plot is displayed. The device was tested using the ProSim8 ECG simulator by Fluke Biomedical. The test confirmed the signal quality of the ECG signal with clear P, QRS, and T waves. This device provides a more cost-effective telemedicine solution for cardiac home care assistance in remote areas which can serve as a viable alternative to conventional monitors as it has the potential to reduce the time for clinical procedures.