This paper describes the development of a non-contact sensing platform to monitor the ECG signals. The non-contact sensing will be based on capacitive coupling the bioelectricity produced by cardiovascular activities around the heart. High sensitivity sensor and electronics are designed to amplify the signals. Our preliminary study has pointed to the promise of this sensing concept. A sensor prototype was able to clearly detect the ECG signals from 10 cm away from the body. Research tasks continue improving the sensor design to detect the polarization in the ECG signals. The final goal is a non-contact sensing platform for ECG signals and for real time diagnostics of the mental distress and cardiovascular diseases.

Date Published: 16 May 2011
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 8029, Sensing Technologies for Global Health, Military Medicine, Disaster Response, and Environmental Monitoring; and Biometric Technology for Human Identification VIII, 80290T (16 May 2011); doi: 10.1117/12.886603

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8029:
Sensing Technologies for Global Health, Military Medicine, Disaster Response, and Environmental Monitoring; and Biometric Technology for Human Identification VIII
B. V. K. Vijaya Kumar; Sárka O. Southern; Kevin N. Montgomery; Salil Prabhakar; Arun A. Ross; Carl W. Taylor; Bernhard H. Weigl, Editor(s)