A group of researchers from Australia and India presented a novel wearable ECG patch for enhanced point-of-care diagnostics. Typically, Ag/AgCl electrodes, also known as wet electrodes, are used in devices to measure ECG signals and include a conductive gel to enhance electrical signaling. But these are known to be uncomfortable, irritating to the skin, and prone to drying out. Instead, the study focused on the advantages of using active dry electrodes for ECG signaling and ultimately demonstrated an effective and promising prototype.
The research included considerations of how the performance of dry electrode sensors is affected by the contact area, conductivity, and stability of the electrical contact. The team investigated various tight space geometry-based dry electrodes and different electrode geometries, studying their various influences on ECG sensing. They also examined how different body parts influence ECG measurements. After extensive experimentation, they created a compact, lightweight, gel-free hexagonal-shaped ECG patch ideally suited for point-of-care diagnostics.
More information:
https://publishing.aip.org/publications/latest-content/wearing-your-heart-monitor-on-your-sleeve/