Materials and Sensors to Create Wearable Cardiac Monitoring Devices

As healthcare needs change, the demand for smart, wearable monitoring devices has grown. However, device manufacturers face several challenges with the current generation of skin patches, which often are regarded as being difficult to use, being uncomfortable, having low functionality, exhibiting poor signal quality over time, and having short wear times. Combining multiple MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) sensors with novel human interface materials can generate new ways of monitoring health and create a robust user experience, along with unlocking the potential for new health metrics arising from the integration of multifunctional sensors.
A partnership between DuPont and STMicroelectronics (ST) has yielded a unique cardiac monitoring device intended to serve as a reference prototype upon which future devices can be based, leading towards the development of a wearable platform which can include applications ranging from EEG (electroencephalogram) to wound care.