Design of Wireless Sensor System for Neonatal Monitoring

In this paper, we present the application of wireless sensor technology and the advantages it will inherently have for neonatal care and monitoring at Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). An electrocardiography (ECG) readout board and a wireless transceiver module developed by IMEC at the Holst Centre in the Netherlands are embedded in the proposed wireless sensor systems in combination with the signal processing and software interface developed at the Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). Through development of this prototype system, we opt to ensure correct data transmission, detection and display. The wireless system is designed to be suitable for integration into non-invasive monitoring platforms such as a smart neonatal jacket developed at TU/e. Experiments at Maxima Medical Centre (MMC) in Veldhoven, the Netherlands demonstrate the wireless transmission of ECG data from the smart jacket integrated with textile electrodes.