Portable Electrocardiograph Research Articles

Flexible Graphene Electrodes for Prolonged Dynamic ECG Monitoring.

This paper describes the development of a graphene-based dry flexible electrocardiography (ECG) electrode and a portable wireless ECG measurement system. First, graphene films on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates and graphene paper were used to construct the ECG electrode. Then, a graphene textile was synthesized for the fabrication of a wearable ECG monitoring system. The structure and the electrical properties of the graphene electrodes were evaluated using Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and alternating current impedance spectroscopy. ECG signals were then collected from healthy subjects using the developed graphene electrode and portable measurement system. The results show that the graphene electrode was able to acquire the typical characteristics and features of human ECG signals with a high signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio in different states of motion. A week-long continuous wearability test showed no degradation in the ECG signal quality over time. The graphene-based flexible electrode demonstrates comfortability, good biocompatibility, and high electrophysiological detection sensitivity. The graphene electrode also combines the potential for use in long-term wearable dynamic cardiac activity monitoring systems with convenience and comfort for use in home health care of elderly and high-risk adults.

Processing of ECG Signals Detected by Portable Devices

Specific features of processing ECG signals (ECS) detected by portable devices are considered. ECS enhancement against a noisy background is achieved by ECG decomposition with further selection of components forming the useful signal. Extremum filtering rather than empirical mode decomposition is used to reduce the computational effort without affecting the results of decomposition. This advantage of extremum filtering allows it to be used in portable electrocardiograph software.

Development of Heartbeat Detection Kit for Biometric Authentication System

Automated security is one of the major concerns in modern time where secure and reliable authentication is in great demand. However, traditional authentication methods such as password and smart card are now outdated because they can be lost, stolen and shared. In this project, biometric system based on heartbeat signals which is also known as Electrocardiographic (ECG) signals is proposed. Heartbeat is chosen as modality due to an individual's ECG signals cannot be faked. Compared to fingerprint it can be fooled with fake fingers, face can be extracted using user's photo and voice can be imitated conveniently. As ECG signals are reflection of the mechanical movement of the heart, these features contain unique physiological information which make them a promising authentication technology. In this study, we develop a portable ECG detection kit for data acquisition. The prototype has successfully tested as a wearable bracelet heartbeat detection for personal system log in. For the software part, wavelet transform algorithm is used as feature extraction technique while for the classification process Support Vector Machine (SVM) is employed. Consequently, the whole system is then integrated on Intel Embedded N2600 Processor with Altera Cyclone IV FPGA Board (DE2-150) as biometric system. Experiment results showed that 2.0069% of EER performance has been achieved, thus this shows that the developed prototype can be a promising modality for biometric system.

Utilization and Clinical Feasibility of a Handheld Remote Electrocardiography Recording Device in Cardiac Arrhythmias and Atrial Fibrillation: A Pilot Study

Remote cardiac rhythm monitoring and diagnosis has been well incorporated in the telehealth service model. The prevalence and incidence of abnormal ventricular beats, based on utilizing a symptom-driven portable remote electrocardiography (ECG) device, remains less well explored. We studied 339 consecutive study participants, which included 192 individuals from outpatient clinics who were enrolled via a symptom-driven protocol; 147 participated in a heart rhythm screening program. All participants underwent 24-hour data transfer using a handheld portable electrocardiogram (ECG) device (DailyCare Biomedical Inc., Taoyuan City, Taiwan) with automatic ECG wavelet data extraction software (InstantCheck, version 4.0; DailyCare Biomedical Inc., Taoyuan City, Taiwan). Among 1152 data transferred (98.4% success rate), we noticed 32.5% of the study participants had evidence of cardiac arrhythmias with permanent or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) constituting 50.9% of arrhythmias. Individuals with a history of heart failure (odds ratio [OR], 3.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69–6.74), diabetes (OR, 3.03; 95% CI, 1.67–5.49), and cardiovascular disease (OR, 3.71; 95% CI, 2.05–6.7) had a higher AF risk. Both populations had an age-related increase in AF, even in multivariate models (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.31–2.24 per +decade). The handheld ECG device shows clinical feasibility with high rate for AF detection with a similar trend toward a higher prevalence with aging from different settings. These data suggested that portable ECG device via remote care system may aid in clinical diagnosis, therapeutic interventions, or patient referral for cardiac arrhythmias.

The design features of the body of the portable electrocardiograph «ECG-EXPRESS»

The sequence of the industrial product shaping is specified, the main modeling characteristics of the configuration and some of its parts are designated subject to the electrocardiograph design and the technologies used for the production of its body.

Portable electrocardiograph through android application.

An electrocardiograph was designed and implemented, being capable of obtaining electrical signals from the heart, and sending this data via Bluetooth to a tablet, in which the signals are graphically shown. The user interface is developed as an Android application. Because of the technological progress and the increasing use of full portable systems, such as tablets and cell phones, it is important to understand the functioning and development of an application, which provides a basis for conducting studies using this technology as an interface. The project development includes concepts of electronics and its application to achieve a portable and functional final project, besides using a specific programmable integrated circuit for electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram and electromyogram, the ADS1294. Using a simulator of cardiac signals, 36 different waveforms were recorded, including normal sinus rhythm, arrhythmias and artifacts. Simulations include variations of heart rate from 30 to 190 beats per minute (BPM), with variations in peak amplitude of 1 mV to 2 mV. Tests were performed with a subject at rest and in motion, observing the signals obtained and the damage to their interpretation due to the introduction of muscle movement artifacts in motion situations.

Portable electrocardiograph based on the integrated circuit ADS1294 using an android application as interface

An electrocardiograph was designed and implemented, being capable of obtaining electrical signals from the heart, and sending this data via Bluetooth to a tablet, in which the signals are graphically shown. The user interface was done through an Android application. Because of the technological progress and the increasing use of full portable systems, such as tablets and cell phones, it is important to understand the functioning and development of an application, which provides a basis for conducting studies using this technology as an interface. The project development includes concepts of electronics and its application to achieve a portable and functional final project, besides using a specific programmable integrated circuit for electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram and electromyogram, the ADS1294. Using a simulator of cardiac signals, 36 different waveforms were recorded, including normal sinus rhythm, arrhythmias and artifacts. Simulations include variations of heart rate from 30 to 190 beats per minute (BPM), with variations in peak amplitude of 1 mV to 2 mV. Tests were performed with a subject at rest and in motion, observing the signals obtained and the damage to their interpretation due to the introduction of muscle movement artifacts in motion situations. Another test, only at rest, was performed in a second subject in order to detect Wolff-Parkinson-White’s syndrome.

GS9-3 Development of Non-Invasive System for Measuring Blood Calcium Level in Dairy Cattle Using Portable Wireless Electrocardiograph(GS9: Clinical Bioengineering)

GS9-3 Development of Non-Invasive System for Measuring Blood Calcium Level in Dairy Cattle Using Portable Wireless Electrocardiograph(GS9: Clinical Bioengineering)

Comparison of the patient-activated event recording system vs. traditional 24 h Holter electrocardiography in individuals with paroxysmal palpitations or dizziness

Electrocardiographic documentation of symptomatic episodes of palpitations by means of traditional methods such as 24 h Holter monitoring (HM) or loop recorders is challenging. Patient-activated electrocardiography (ECG) recorders have been proved to be a useful tool in the diagnosis of arrhythmias in these patients. However, no comparison studies between the two techniques have been conducted. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of Holter ECG and a patient-activated event recorder (OMRON portable HeartScan ECG Monitor(®)) (HeartScan) in the detection of arrhythmias in patients with paroxysmal palpitations or dizziness suggestive of cardiac arrhythmias. Patients with paroxysmal palpitations or dizziness were eligible for this study. All patients underwent an HM for 24 h and a 15-day HeartScan after the HM. Six hundred and twenty-five patients (48% male, mean age: 37 ± 11 years) were included in the study. All patients present with normal heart structure, normal baseline 12-lead ECG, and normal echocardiogram. Indications for ECG monitoring were palpitations in 577 patients (92.3%) and dizziness in 48 (7.7%). Holter monitoring offered a clinical diagnosis in 11 patients (1.8%). Conversely, HeartScan diagnosed the clinical arrhythmia in 558 individuals (89%). Detection of symptoms-related arrhythmias by means of HeartScan was significantly higher when compared with HM (P < 0.01). The studied system proved to be an efficient event recorder providing the diagnosis of the clinical arrhythmia in 89% of patients with paroxysmal palpitations or dizziness. Further studies are needed to confirm our results.

Microbial contamination of manually reprocessed, ready to use ECG lead wire in intensive care units.

Background: A number of studies have shown that non-critical medical devices can be contaminated with pathogens, including those resistant to antibiotics and thus become a potential vector for transmission. Electrocardiography (ECG) lead wire are non-critical medical device which are always attached on patient skin during their stay in intensive care unit (ICU). In view of the patient’s critical conditions and exposure to invasive procedures, identification and prevention of possible risks are important to prevent infection in ICUs. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the presence of bacterial and fungal contamination on cleaned and disinfected reusable ECG lead wires in intensive care units in a hospital.Methods: A total of 408 cleaned ECG lead wires from 93 bed-side ECG devices and 43 ECG lead wires from 5 portable ECG devices from 4 intensive care units (ICUs) and 1 post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) were sampled. ECG lead wires were stirred in 0.89% NaCl with added neutralizer for 30 seconds. Samples of the solutions were cultured directly on blood agar. The remaining solution was cultured on blood agar after sterile filtration. The number of colony forming units (CFUs) was counted and the microorganisms were identified.Results: More than half of examined ECG lead wires (n=232; 51.4%) were contaminated with >30 CFUs/mL sample of bacteria or with risk pathogens. Gram-positive bacteria were the most frequently isolated organisms; particularly, coagulase negative staphylococci (96%) and aerobic spore forming bacteria (71.2%). Compared to ICUs, PACU had significantly lower proportion of contaminated ECG lead wires (p<0.05). The proportion of contaminated ECG lead wires, as well as mean number of cfus per ECG lead wire, was also significantly lower among multi-wire ECG leads compared to single-wire ECG leads. Conclusions: Manually cleaned ECG lead wires may serve as a vector for transmission of nosocomial pathogens. The current reprocessing technique for ECG lead wires needs to be improved.

Electrocardiogram Signal Compression with Reconstruction via Radial Basis Function Interpolation Based on the Vertex

Patients with heart disease need long-term monitoring of the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal using a portable electrocardiograph. This trend requires the miniaturization of data storage and faster transmission to medical doctors for diagnosis. The ECG signal needs to be utilized for efficient storage, processing and transmission, and its data must contain the important components for diagnosis, such as the P wave, QRS-complex, and T wave. In this study, we select the vertex which has a larger curvature value than the threshold value for compression. Then, we reconstruct the compressed signal using by radial basis function interpolation. This technique guarantees a lower percentage of root mean square difference with respect to the extracted sample points and preserves all the important features of the ECG signal. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated in the experiment using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital arrhythmia database.

The Effect of Garden Designs on Mood and Heart Output in Older Adults Residing in an Assisted Living Facility

The objective of this study is to trace short-term changes in mood and heart function in elderly individuals in response to exposure to different landscaped spaces. Nineteen elderly but cognitively intact residents of an assisted living facility participated in the study. They were exposed to three landscaped spaces: a Japanese style garden, an herb garden, and a simple landscaped area planted with a single tree. To assess the effect of different landscaped spaces on older adults, individuals were monitored for mood and cardiac function in response to short exposures to spaces. Mood state was assessed using Profile of Mood States (POMS) before and after viewing the spaces. Cardiac output was assessed using a portable electrocardiograph monitor before and during the viewing. We found that the structured gardens evoked greater responses in all outcome measures. Scores on the POMS improved after observation of the two organized gardens compared to responses to the simple landscaped space with a single tree. During the observation period, heart rate was significantly lower in the Japanese garden than in the other environments, and sympathetic function was significantly lower as well. We conclude that exposure to organized gardens can affect both the mood and cardiac physiology of elderly individuals. Our data further suggest that these effects can differ depending on the types of landscape to which an individual is exposed. Elderly, Japanese garden, herb garden, heart rate, mood, healing environmentPreferred Citation: Goto, S., Park, B-J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Herrup, K., & Miyazaki, Y. (2013). The effect of garden designs on mood and heart output in older adults residing in an assisted living facility. Health Environments Research & Design Journal 6(2), pp 27-42.

Design of heart rate variability processor for portable 3-lead ECG monitoring system-on-chip

The worldwide population of people over the age of 65 has been predicted to more than double from 1990 to 2025. Therefore, ubiquitous health-care systems have become an important topic of research in recent years. In this paper, an integrated system for portable electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring, with an on-board processor for time–frequency analysis of heart rate variability (HRV), is presented. The main function of proposed system comprises three parts, namely, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) controller, an HRV processor, and a lossless compression engine. At the beginning, ECG data acquired from front-end circuits through the ADC controller is passed through the HRV processor for analysis. Next, the HRV processor performs real-time analysis of time–frequency HRV using the Lomb periodogram and a sliding window configuration. The Lomb periodogram is suited for spectral analysis of unevenly sampled data and has been applied to time–frequency analysis of HRV in the proposed system. Finally, the ECG data are compressed by 2.5 times using the lossless compression engine before output using universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART). Bluetooth is employed to transmit analyzed HRV data and raw ECG data to a remote station for display or further analysis. The integrated ECG health-care system design proposed has been implemented using UMC 90nm CMOS technology.

Continuous respiratory monitoring for sleep apnea screening by ambulatory hemodynamic monitor

To validate the sleep-disordered breathing components of a portable electrocardiography and hemodynamic monitor to be used for sleep apnea screening. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with cardiovascular disease. Patients with existing cardiovascular disease may have unrecognized SDB or may develop SDB while under the care of a cardiologist. A screening device for SDB, easy to use and appealing to cardiologists, would assist in referral of appropriate patients for full polysomnography (PSG). A cardiac and respiratory monitor (CPAM) was attached to patients undergoing PSG and an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) generated. The CPAM device produced respiration rate, snoring rate, individual apnea/hypopnea events and an SDB severity score (SDBSS). In addition to AHI, an expert over-reader annotated individual breaths, snores and SDB breathing events to which the automated algorithms were compared. The test set consisted of data from 85 patients (age: 50.5 ± 12.4 years). Of these, 57 had a positive PSG defined as AHI ≥ 5.0 (mean: 30.0 ± 29.8, negative group mean: 1.5 ± 1.2). The sensitivity and specificity of the SDBSS compared to AHI was 57.9% and 89.3%, respectively. The correlation of snoring rate by CPAM compared to the expert over-reader was r = 0.58 (mean error: 1.52 snores/min), while the automated respiration rate had a correlation of r = 0.90 (mean error: 0.70 breaths/min). This performance assessment shows that CPAM can be a useful portable monitor for screening and follow-up of subjects for SDB.

RTOS kernel in portable electrocardiograph

This paper presents the use of a Real Time Operating System (RTOS) on a portable electrocardiograph based on a microcontroller platform. All medical device digital functions are performed by the microcontroller. The electrocardiograph CPU is based on the 18F4550 microcontroller, in which an uCOS-II RTOS can be embedded. The decision associated with the kernel use is based on its benefits, the license for educational use and its intrinsic time control and peripherals management. The feasibility of its use on the electrocardiograph is evaluated based on the minimum memory requirements due to the kernel structure. The kernel's own tools were used for time estimation and evaluation of resources used by each process. After this feasibility analysis, the migration from cyclic code to a structure based on separate processes or tasks able to synchronize events is used; resulting in an electrocardiograph running on one Central Processing Unit (CPU) based on RTOS.

Experience of Portable ECG Device at East Japan Great Earthquake Disaster Stricken Area

Aim: As earthquake disaster-related death, arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy have been an important problem. We examined whether portable ECG could be available as one of the prevention measures at East Japan Great Earthquake disaster stricken area. Methods: 86 people who spent it under too cruel environment of a stricken area of Ishinomaki-shi and hoped to take ECG examination were intended for CG2100 portable transmission ECG and HCG801 device (non-transmission type). We performed a pilot study for the availability of those portable ECG at those area. Results: CG2100 was applied for 20 people. ECG was recorded in I lead and it was transmitted to a call center of MJG cardiovascular institute through a telephone. Atrial fibrillation and PVCs were present in two cases, respectively and one case became hospitalizing for cardiac pump failure. ECG was recorded in 66 people when an applicant could use HCG801 as heart examination use freely. PVCs were present in one case, but there were no abnormalities else. Conclusion: At a stricken area under too cruel environment, victims could use portable electrocardiograph easily. It semmed to be useful by using seperately those two models in case of mergency or heart disease detection survey.

A Portable Electrocardiograph with a Magnetic Tape Recording System for the Horse during Exercise

A Portable Electrocardiograph with a Magnetic Tape Recording System for the Horse during Exercise

Studies of autonomic functions in practitioners of Yoga in India.

Dr. Wenger, one of the authors, explains this article as follows: In 1933, a student from India first stimulated my interest in Yoga. In an experiment on muscular relaxation his performance far exceeded that of any other subject. He explained that he employed a Yogic method which was commonly used in India, and I made a mental note to go to India someday. The note got unburied over twenty years later when I discovered an article by Therese Brosse, a French cardiologist who had taken a portable electrocardiograph to India in 1935 and measured a few yogis as they at- tempted to control their heart action. One of her published EKG records was amazing. It showed a gradual reduction in heart potentials to near zero. She concluded that the heart could be controlled voluntarily. A review of the literature disclosed similar claims, and other claims off voluntary control over other visceral muscles—none, however, so objectively documented. Claims of fire walking, pit burials of many hours' duration, and needle penetration without bleeding are fairly common. Less common are reports of voluntary control of regurgitation and defecation, of great increases in body heat, and of relaxation of the sphincters of the anus and urethra so that water or other fluids can be sucked into the bowel or bladder with the aid of another practice (uddiyana) that apparently creates negative pressure in the abdomen. Testing these various claims of voluntary control of autonomic functions and recording physiological changes during Yogic meditation were our major purposes in going to India.

Application of Portable Electrocardiograph to Canines As a Tool of Telediagnosis in Presymptomatic Veterinary Medicine

Application of Portable Electrocardiograph to Canines As a Tool of Telediagnosis in Presymptomatic Veterinary Medicine

RESTING HEART AND RESPIRATORY RATE IN WILD ADULT MALE WALRUSES (ODOBENUS ROSMARUS ROSMARUS)

Little is known about physiological parameters of free-ranging walruses (Odobenus rosmarus). The heart rate has been measured electronically during anesthesia (e.g., Born and Knutsen 1990a, Lanthier et al. 1999), but to allow interpretation of such results, and for meaningful monitoring of anesthesia, baseline heart and respiratory rates are essential. Furthermore, such data may contribute to estimation of energy consumption (e.g., McPhee et al. 2003). The heart rate in unrestrained walruses has been estimated based on inspection of movement of the thoracic region as part of pre-anaesthetic assessments (Born and Knutsen 1990a, Griffiths et al. 1993), but to the authors’ knowledge no exact data have been published. In this paper we describe a method for recording resting heart rate in unrestrained wild walruses and present data on respiratory rate and electronically recorded heart rate. The experiment was conducted during 12–16 August 2004 on the terrestrial haulout Sandoen in Young Sound in Northeast Greenland (74◦18′N, 20◦15′W). During summer, this haul-out is used by a group of approximately 60 Atlantic walruses, predominantly adult males (Born et al. 1995, Acquarone 2004). The feeding grounds are accessible from the ice break up in July until the formation of new fast-ice in October (Born et al. 1995, Rysgaard et al. 2003). Ten adult males (estimated body weight >1,000 kg) that had been out of the water for at least 1 h, and were resting at the perimeter of the hauled-out group were studied. Photo-identification was employed to avoid repeated measurements of the same individual. During the experiments, air temperature ranged between 3◦C and 12◦C and wind speed was between 3 m/s and 10 m/s. A battery-operated portable electrocardiograph (Cardiovit AT-4 vet, Schiller AG, Baar CH-6341, Switzerland) was equipped with two custom made cords for unipolar recording. These cords were made from 10 m screened cables ending in an insulated