Wrist-Mounted ECG Device Self-Service Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring methods require clinical settings and involve medical professionals for electrode placement, limiting continuous and remote cardiac monitoring outside controlled environments.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device with a housing and mountable to a wrist location, featuring first and second electrical contacts that can be contacted by the skin, and a signal conditioner to extract ECG waveforms from voltage fluctuations between these contacts, allowing for continuous monitoring and data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ECG monitoring is performed in clinical settings with medical professionals placing electrodes, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device enables users to perform self-service ECG monitoring by simply wearing the device on the wrist and touching a contact point with the opposite hand. The device automatically detects and records ECG waveforms without requiring external assistance or complex electrode placement procedures, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the body's existing electrical pathways as an intermediary medium. By placing one electrode on the wrist and having the user touch another contact point with their opposite hand, the device utilizes the body's natural conductivity to obtain ECG signals, eliminating the need for complex clinical electrode placement while maintaining measurement accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If ECG monitoring is performed in clinical settings with medical professionals, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device transforms ECG monitoring from a professional-operated procedure into a self-service activity. Users can independently initiate and complete ECG measurements by simply wearing the device and touching a contact point, eliminating the need for medical professional involvement while maintaining diagnostic-quality measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical procedure of professional electrode placement with an automated electrical detection system. The device automatically detects skin contact, initiates signal acquisition, and processes ECG waveforms without requiring manual intervention, thereby dramatically improving ease of operation while preserving measurement precision.
3Reliability
If continuous cardiac monitoring is enabled, then reliability is improved, but use of energy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device implements periodic sampling of ECG signals rather than continuous recording. It activates the electrical contacts and signal processing only when needed (e.g., when the user touches the contact point), allowing the system to conserve energy during non-measurement periods while maintaining reliable monitoring capability when activated.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device maintains readiness for continuous monitoring by continuously powering low-energy standby circuits that detect user presence and initiate measurements on demand. This approach ensures reliable monitoring coverage while minimizing energy consumption by keeping the system in a low-power state between measurements, only activating full functionality when useful action is required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous, near-continuous cardiac monitoring, detecting rare events and changes in heart electrical activity over extended periods, facilitating remote and repeated ECG measurements without the need for clinical settings.
Implementation Method 1
a signal conditioner disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the first and second electrical contacts, wherein the signal conditioner is configured to extract an electrocardiographic waveform from voltage fluctuations between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact
Data Source
AI summary
Wearable devices are described herein including a housing and a mount configured to mount the housing to a wrist of a wearer. The wearable devices further include first and second electrical contacts configured such that the first electrical contact is in contact with skin proximate of the wrist when the wearable device is so mounted. The second electrical contact is disposed on a surface of the wearable device away from the wrist such that, when the wearer contacts the second electrical contact with a finger or other element of the arm opposite the wrist, an electrocardiographic waveform of the wearer can be extracted from voltage fluctuations between the first and second electrodes. Such wearable devices can be used for periodic logging or other applications of the electrocardiographic waveforms of the wearer. Such logged electrocardiographic waveforms could be used to determine a medical or health state of the wearer.