Portable system for acquisition and transmission of ECG parameters

A simple inexpensive bedside automatic ECG data-collection system is presented. The main parameter measured is the R-R interval length that can be used in the construction of a heart rate variability signal. Another parameter measured is the shape of the T-wave in the ECG signal. The collected data are transferred to a remote host computer through the public telephone network, by means of a modem. The system can function through the whole range of human heart rates. The described solution differs from most existing ones by utilising the existing ECG monitoring equipment in hospitals, which usually does not store any information. This equipment is connected by a portable, independent, special-purpose system to a remote host computer which can further analyse and store the data.