Better Bluetooth EKGs

If you’ve ever been hooked up to an electrocardiogram (EKG), you probably know how quickly its mess of long leads can get tangled amongst themselves and other sensor wires. Not only does this limit mobility, but when the wires do get crossed, any one of the average EKG’s 12 leads can easily fall off or report faulty readings.

Jordan Besnoff, a research assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and David Ricketts, a professor in the same department, have discovered how to use “backscatter communication” to wirelessly transmit EKG information over

Bluetooth to a smartphone, tablet or computer. Bluetooth EKG systems already exist, but those currently available on the market are quite bulky due to the heavy-duty batteries needed to power them. By using backscatter communication, Besnoff and Ricketts’ design eliminates the need for high-frequency signals — and in turn, any batteries at all. Transmitting the information via lower frequencies takes less energy, enabling the sensor to power itself with nothing more than on-body energy sources, such as sweat.

CIF support will be used to test an early-stage prototype of the device, including demonstrating to potential industry partners that it’s both clinically viable and medical-grade quality.