Development of a Portable Heart Monitoring System

Coronary heart diseases are one of the most common causes of fatality. The need for a precautionary device that is able to monitor a person´s critical vital signs arises. Portable Heart Monitoring System is able to arise to such demands. The device monitors the wearer´s critical vital signs such as electrocardiograph, heart rate and body temperature. Physiological limits of normal heart rate and temperature values are set into the device in order to recognize the normality of the vital signs being acquired. In the event that values exceed the physiological limits set into the device, an alarm is automated to sound to be able to alert the wearer as well as the people around him of the abnormal vital signs being experienced. ECG cables are embedded into a vest worn by the wearer so that ECG signals would have more stability with the ECG cables decreased mobility. Three electrodes in contact with the wearer´s torso are used to detect the electrocardiograph signals. The heart rate is then taken from computation of the distance between R-peaks of the electrocardiograph signals. The temperature is taken with the LM35 in contact with the wearer´s armpits. A Z8 Encore Microcontroller processes the data and converts the signal to be fit for output on a LCD touch screen incorporated into the device. The device´s display shows the ECG signal, updated every 3 seconds, the heart rate computed from the ECG signals and the real-time reading of the body temperature of the wearer.