Anytime ECG Monitoring through the Use of a Low-Cost, User-Friendly, Wearable Device

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiology
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death globally.
• Sporadic cardiac arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation are challenging to detect with traditional methods.
• Existing portable cardiac monitors often lack wearability, wireless connectivity, or long-term suitability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the ECG WATCH, a device addressing limitations of current cardiac monitoring solutions.
• To evaluate the usability, quality, and diagnostic capabilities of the ECG WATCH for remote cardiac health monitoring.

Main Methods:

• The ECG WATCH is a wearable, non-invasive device recording single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in 10 seconds.
• It allows acquisition of three peripheral leads and seamless data sharing via a smartphone app.
• Device performance was validated against certified electrocardiographs and ECG simulators, including an algorithm for atrial fibrillation detection.

Main Results:

• The ECG WATCH demonstrated successful comparison with certified electrocardiographs and simulators in quality tests involving 30 participants.
• The integrated algorithm for atrial fibrillation detection was successfully tested using an official ECG simulator across various severities.
• The device is inexpensive, wearable, user-friendly, and suitable for long-term, remote cardiac monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The ECG WATCH offers a promising solution for accessible and continuous cardiac health monitoring.
• Its design overcomes limitations of current technologies, facilitating early detection of conditions like atrial fibrillation.
• The device empowers individuals with convenient, anytime, anywhere ECG recording capabilities, reducing the need for hospital visits.