Control and Signal Processing Software Embedded in Smart Wristband Monitor of Silent Atrial Fibrillation

D. Roj, J. Wróbel, A. Matonia, K. Horoba, N. Henzel (ITAM Zabrze, Poland)

A project is currently carried out to gather reliable data on prevalence of silent atrial fibrillation (AF) in elderly patients. The first phase of the project was focused on inventing the diagnostic instrumentation in a form of wristband monitor, capable of detecting silent AF. The monitor developed at the Institute of Medical Technology and Equipment (ITAM) in Zabrze applies the photoplethysmographic method of heart rate monitoring, with a specialized reflective optical sensor, at the same time enabling one-channel ECG signal acquisition, in "on-demand" mode, to confirm detected episodes. The main advantage of this concept, in contrast to typical Holter monitors, is lack of sticker electrodes attached to patient’s skin. The embedded software has been designed using the finite state machine approach, and the signals are recorded in universal JHBD format. An automated, patient interaction free transmission of data files to the Patient Monitoring Platform is assured through the docking station. So far the preliminary tests were made on a group of ten patients, for assessment of the effectiveness of heart rate determination (crucial for the atrial fibrillation episodes detection) and functional evaluation of mobile monitors in terms of convenience of their use.