Wearable monitoring system for chronic cardio-respiratory diseases

In this paper is presented the study leading to the implementation of an innovative sensing textile platform, based on a wearable monitoring system named Wealthy, where novel piezoresistive sensors have been integrated to increase system capability in the field of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases monitoring. Two different typologies of textile sensors for plethysmograpic measurements have been characterized and compared to evaluate sensors performance, through electro-dynamic laboratory tests and in vivo measurements. The whole system allows continuous remote monitoring of electrocardiogram and impedance pneumography signals through textile electrodes, while piezoresistive fabric sensors placed at the abdominal and thoracic level are able to discriminate between different breathing patterns. All the signals have been acquired simultaneously allowing a comparative control of cardiopulmonary activity and artifact rejection, while a comparative study with standard BIOPAC® MP30 respiratory transducers has been performed in basal condition.