What can be
better than real-time heart monitoring that can give an accurate electrographic
picture of the heart’s activity?
With the
worldwide rise in the heart diseases and the deaths associated with it, the researchers
and engineers from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China,
and the University of Texas at Austin, USA, led an international collaboration to reveal a new wearable
device that revolutionized the monitoring of the heart.
This electronic tattoo or digital tattoo technology utilises a lightweight, stretchable, piezoelectric polymer called polyvinylidene fluoride, that can be pasted on the skin to measure certain vitals like heart activity, body temperature, skin hydration, and even respiratory rate. It works by converting mechanical stress and movements into electrical charges. This can then be remotely controlled via smartphones. The ultra-thin (about 1.5 μm) stretchable characteristic of the e-tattoo is the secret behind its comfortability and its skin-like texture. Almost no discomfort is elicited even if placed for an extended period.
An added feature
of Lu’s e-tattoo that it tells you where you can paste it on the chest. It does
this by using 3D image correction technology to map out a location on the chest
wall where chest vibrations are best detected.
For
ECG we can always go to the doctors, what is the benefit of e-tattoo then?
In a doctor’s
office, electrical activity is usually monitored for a couple of minutes or during
the said amount of time. With e-tattoo, the monitoring is constant which plays
a crucial role in people with heart diseases. Moreover, its recording capacity
is not limited to ECG only.
When placed
on the chest, it simultaneously records the heart’s activity in two ways:
- Electrocardiograph
- Seismocardiograph.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) records the pulsating heart’s electrical activity in the form of a graph on an ECG paper that most of us are aware of. العاب قمار كازينو
A lesser know term is Seismocardiography (SCG). ماكينة القمار So what is Seismocardiography (SCG)?
It is the measurement of the vibrations of the chest with each heartbeat. SCG results have an adjuvant effect on ECG. It assures the accuracy of ECG readings.
“We can get much greater insight into heart health
by the synchronous collection of data from both sources,” said Lu, an
associate professor in the departments of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering
Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering.
A smartphone app that can wirelessly control it, stores the collected data, shows real-time heartbeat and also wirelessly power the e-tattoo so it can go on for a longer period.
Can the recording be affected by artefacts?
The ultra-thin and highly sensitive e-tattoo minimizes motion artefacts and other potential artefacts such as perspiration impart no significant effect owing to the breathability of the mesh-like material used for e-tattoos.
They could even send alerts
to medical systems. For example, if a patient’s heart rate becomes critical,
the device could automatically call an ambulance and transmit data to emergency
medical staff.
E-tattoo is a door to the future of health management. موقع البوكر It does not only record constantly, but also automatically transmits data to the medical personnel in emergency situations. More research and studies are being done in this regard to make such devices more compatible with daily use making it a life-saving measure, especially for those with cardiac diseases.
References:
AUSTIN, J. H.-U. (2019, June 23). ELECTRONIC ‘TATTOO’ MONITORS HEART FOR DAYS. Retrieved from FUTURITY: https://www.futurity.org/electronic-tattoo-heart-monitor-2088342-2/
Lu, T. H. (2019, May 21 ). A Chest‐Laminated Ultrathin and Stretchable E‐Tattoo for the Measurement of Electrocardiogram, Seismocardiogram, and Cardiac Time Intervals. Retrieved from Advanced Science: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.201900290
MCSWEENEY, K. (2020, January 24). E-Tattoos Are Futuristic Healthcare Wearables. Retrieved from NOW.: https://now.northropgrumman.com/e-tattoos-are-futuristic-healthcare-wearables
