Novel Stable Capacitive Electrocardiogram Measurement System

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 21; no. 11; p. 3668
• Main Authors: Chen, Chi-Chun, Lin, Shu-Yu, Chang, Wen-Ying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 25.05.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Background noise; Design parameters; Electrocardiography; Electrodes; Feedback; Noise reduction; noncontact electrocardiogram; optimal input resistance; optimal voltage divider feedback; Signal measurement; Signal processing; surface guard ring; Voltage dividers
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s21113668

This study presents a noncontact electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement system to replace conventional ECG electrode pads during ECG measurement. The proposed noncontact electrode design comprises a surface guard ring, the optimal input resistance, a ground guard ring, and an optimal voltage divider feedback. The surface and ground guard rings are used to reduce environmental noise. The optimal input resistor mitigates distortion caused by the input bias current, and the optimal voltage divider feedback increases the gain. Simulated gain analysis was subsequently performed to determine the most suitable parameters for the design, and the system was combined with a capacitive driven right leg circuit to reduce common-mode interference. The present study simulated actual environments in which interference is present in capacitive ECG signal measurement. Both in the case of environmental interference and motion artifact interference, relative to capacitive ECG electrodes, the proposed electrodes measured ECG signals with greater stability. In terms of R–R intervals, the measured ECG signals exhibited a 98.6% similarity to ECGs measured using contact ECG systems. The proposed noncontact ECG measurement system based on capacitive sensing is applicable for use in everyday life.