[Low-power Wireless Micro Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Node].

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Wearable Technology
• Cardiovascular Health

Background:

• Ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring is crucial for managing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
• Body Sensor Network (BSN) based ECG monitoring offers an efficient approach for patient protection.
• Existing systems face challenges in miniaturization, power consumption, and signal quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, miniaturized, low-power wireless ECG node for continuous patient monitoring.
• To ensure high-quality ECG signal acquisition and processing in a compact device.
• To evaluate the performance of the developed wireless ECG node.

Main Methods:

• Designed a 50 mm x 50 mm x 10 mm, 30 g wireless ECG node.
• Integrated the AD8232 analog front-end, MSP430F1611 microprocessor, and HM-11 Bluetooth module.
• Implemented on-line digital filtering for signal quality enhancement and a difference threshold algorithm for R-wave detection.

Main Results:

• The developed wireless ECG node met its design targets for size, weight, and power consumption.
• On-line digital filtering effectively improved ECG signal quality.
• The difference threshold algorithm achieved accurate R-wave detection and heart rate calculation.

Conclusions:

• The novel wireless ECG node is a promising solution for ambulatory cardiovascular monitoring.
• The device's miniaturization, low power, and high signal quality make it suitable for Body Sensor Network applications.
• This technology has significant potential for improving the management and remote care of patients with CVDs.