Wearable real-time ecg monitoring with emergency alert system for scuba diving

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2015:2015:6074-7. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2015.7319777.

Abstract

Medical diagnosis is the first level for recognition and treatment of diseases. To realize fast diagnosis, we propose a concept of a basic framework for the underwater monitoring of a diver's ECG signal, including an alert system that warns the diver of predefined medical emergency situations. The framework contains QRS detection, heart rate calculation and an alert system. After performing a predefined study protocol, the algorithm's accuracy was evaluated with 10 subjects in a dry environment and with 5 subjects in an underwater environment. The results showed that, in 3 out of 5 dives as well as in dry environment, data transmission remained stable. In these cases, the subjects were able to trigger the alert system. The evaluated data showed a clear ECG signal with a QRS detection accuracy of 90 %. Thus, the proposed framework has the potential to detect and to warn of health risks. Further developments of this sample concept can imply an extension for monitoring different biomedical parameters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Diving / physiology*
  • Electrocardiography / instrumentation
  • Electrocardiography / methods*
  • Emergency Medical Services
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Young Adult