ERC Designs Battery-free Electrocardiogram Armband That Never Misses a Beat
Researchers at the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST), headquartered at North Carolina State University, have designed a battery-free armband that continuously measures electrocardiogram activity without missing a beat. The armband transmits a cardiac signal that can track everyday activities.
The battery-free electrocardiogram (ECG) armband integrates cutting-edge technologies that provide continuous monitoring for individuals with cardiovascular disease such as atrial fibrillation. As a wearable device, the armband transmits ECG readings wirelessly from any location over long periods of time, eliminating the need for bulky monitoring equipment.
ECG measurements are routinely taken by doctors to monitor heart health but the current process is cumbersome. Measurements must be taken in a hospital or a doctor’s office, with up to 12 electrodes placed on the body to capture the heart’s signal.
Although short-term, portable monitoring has been introduced for patients to use at home, the Center’s alternative, long-term wearable device can track and predict cardiac episodes using only three electrodes. The individual’s data is transmitted wirelessly from the armband to a smart phone or other Bluetooth-enabled devices.
