Wearable Textile Electrocardiogram Sport Bra for Real Time Health Monitoring

Schauss, Gabriella

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

Wearable Textile Electrocardiogram Sport Bra for Real Time Health Monitoring Public Deposited

Analytics

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/3197xn26s

Abstract

Realtime, biosignal monitoring systems are emerging as a rapidly growing research area and commercial industry. Wearable sensor systems that collect high-fidelity electrocardiogram (ECG) data are essential to the continued development of biosignal monitoring and the implementation of such systems have become highly desirable in human spaceflight. Wearables enable the utilization of the ECG signal in operational environments to provide information about human behaviors such as identifying psychological states to feed into adaptive software [1], analytics to optimize augment learning interfaces including virtual and augmented reality [2], and monitor astronaut’s physical states during extravehicular activity [3]. Traditional ECG electrodes are single-use adhesive electrodes, which are cumbersome and uncomfortable making them inadequate for space exploration. Further, constraints on mass and volume for long duration missions may prevent the use of adhesive electrodes. Recent advances in flexible textile sensors have allowed for low cost and seamless integration of ECG electrodes into wearable garments, which offer solutions to current monitoring system limitations [4,5]. Suboptimal signal quality in ECG electrodes is often caused by poor fit and decreased skin-sensor contact. These issues are exacerbated on females due to a greater degree of variability of anthropometry at the chest [6]. Current monitoring systems are invasive, expensive, or do not provide the full ECG signal which limits the utilization of wearable technology [6,7]. This work aims to explore materials, structures, and fit with a particular emphasis on the female form to enable an understanding of the design space and develop methods of quantifying performance to guide future garment development.We performed an iterative design, fabrication, and evaluation process to perform this research with an emphasis on the garment as a whole and addressed fit, comfort, donning/doffing, and electronic integration. Specific considerations for the female form, such as breast tissue, were integrated into each design iteration for maximized performance and comfort. Prior work defined the woven textile electrodes integrated into the garment [8]. The garment was validated through a series of test motions performed by four female subjects; each participant performed the five-motion series--walking, flexion/extension, adduction/abduction, walking, and jumping--with both the textile garment and a set of traditional adhesive electrodes as a control. Participants were selected to fit the test garment, which was verified using anthropometric measurements. Raw data was analyzed for peak detection and signal-to-noise ratio in order to assess the quality of the signal.It was found that while overall the textile garment had more noise in the system, all R peaks were able to be detected on the subjects and for some, small waveforms in the ECG signal were able to be accurately identified as well. The garment is a case study and design process validation for technical garments to accommodate a multitude of body shapes, particularly for cases influenced by movement. The fabrication methods and design process can be used to develop ECG garments for NASA’s 5th percentile Japanese female to 95th percentile American male sizing goal, increasing the accessibility of high-quality ECG monitoring and allowing for continuous biosignal processing for long durations.We demonstrate realtime biosignal monitoring robust to motion artifact using textile electrodes integrated into a custom-designed sports bra. We overcome major challenges from prior work to minimize motion artifacts and retain high quality ECG signals. This work builds from our prior work on textile sensor development [4] and fleet sizing for ECG monitoring [7]. Incorporating biosignal monitoring into garments, the health of astronauts can be more easily assessed and future human-autonomy interaction can be facilitated. This system incorporates design features such as fit, comfort, and durability. The process defined in this research enables a framework for the future development of garment designed for a range of body shapes, which focus on fit and performance during everyday motions.

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