Performance Evaluation of Cardiac Signal Recording Framework (CARDIF)-A Quantitative Assessment for Long Term Monitoring Applications

Abstract

Background: Personal health monitoring with wearable electronics has gained momentum in the recent years due to its usage in flexible textile-based sensors/electrodes for recording of physiological vital parameters. Such system provides scope for long term ambulatory ECG measurement and motion tracking applications. The selection /design of textile sensors play a vital role as it has to overcome skin irritations, improve the skin-electrode impedance required for conductivity. The composition of textile materials, shape and size of the textile electrodes contributes significantly towards the conductivity. Objective: To assess the proposed Cardif system for its suitability to introduce in the clinical routine Method: The proposed textile electrodes were designed using knit jersey conductive material. The skin –contact impedance of the proposed textile material, was measured using two electrode impedance method and measurement was done for different age groups by varying the frequency. Results: The measurement results showed that the impedance was decreasing with increasing frequency and was found to be below 1.5Mohm/cm2 in the frequency range of 20Hz to 1KHz for three different age groups. The performance of the CARDIF was assessed using heart rate, RR interval, SNR as well as qualitative assessment through visual inspection and were compared with gel based disposable Ag/AgCl electrodes. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed and the various results confirm the proposed textile electrodes for continuous patient monitoring applications.