Philips Research have developed a body vest with integrated textile electrodes and control electronics to measure the patient’s ECG (Electro-cardiogram), as well as sensors that are placed in the patient’s bed to measure his heart-rate, breathing rate and body movement while sleeping.
All of these devices communicate measurement data via wireless links to a PDA on which the monitoring management software runs. This software guides the user through a daily ritual of taking their weight, blood pressure and ECG measurements, and then combines this data with information from the bed sensors to assess changes in overall heart function. Measurement data could then be delivered to healthcare providers either via the phone network as with Philips’ current telemonitoring system or via a broadband connection similar to Philips’ Motiva interactive healthcare platform. (Icon image credit: Philips)
