Embroidered Electrode with Silver/Titanium Coating for Long-Term ECG Monitoring
Markus Weder,
Dirk Hegemann,
Martin Amberg,
Markus Hess,
Luciano F. Boesel,
Roger Abächerli,
Veronika R. Meyer,
René M. Rossi
Affiliations
Markus Weder
Laboratory for Protection and Physiology, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Dirk Hegemann
Laboratory of Advanced Fibers, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Martin Amberg
Laboratory of Advanced Fibers, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Laboratory for Protection and Physiology, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Roger Abächerli
Cardiovascular Research Institute, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 2, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland
Veronika R. Meyer
Laboratory for Protection and Physiology, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
René M. Rossi
Laboratory for Protection and Physiology, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
For the long-time monitoring of electrocardiograms, electrodes must be skin-friendly and non-irritating, but in addition they must deliver leads without artifacts even if the skin is dry and the body is moving. Today’s adhesive conducting gel electrodes are not suitable for such applications. We have developed an embroidered textile electrode from polyethylene terephthalate yarn which is plasma-coated with silver for electrical conductivity and with an ultra-thin titanium layer on top for passivation. Two of these electrodes are embedded into a breast belt. They are moisturized with a very low amount of water vapor from an integrated reservoir. The combination of silver, titanium and water vapor results in an excellent electrode chemistry. With this belt the long-time monitoring of electrocardiography (ECG) is possible at rest as well as when the patient is moving.
