VietNamNet Bridge - With the assistance of smartphones, doctors can see the electrocardiography (ECG) process, which allows them to diagnose patients from afar.

Two students of the HCM City International University – Cu Gia Huy and Nguyen Hoang Tuan – have invented a wireless ECG system which measures the electrical activity in the heart according to real time, simplifying the existing problems between patients and physicians during the health examination and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death in many countries around the world, including Vietnam. As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), about 17.3 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2008, or about 30 percent of all deaths worldwide. The figure is predicted to increase to 23 million by 2030.

The development of communication technologies, particularly in the field of wireless networks, has helped find many new solutions for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. With this solution, the prevention and early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases has significantly improved.

Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death in many countries around the world, including Vietnam.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most commonly used method which can help diagnose heart diseases. To date, many mobile ECG devices have been developed and commercialized. ECG Holter systems of GE and Phillips have been widely used in hospitals or health care centers worldwide.

However, traditional ECG systems are too expensive in Vietnam. Under the systems, ECG signals are recorded and copied to SD memory cards and then transmitted to doctors.

The main problem is that Vietnam still cannot produce a roving ECG system which can receive and transmit wireless signals.

Huy and Tuan decided that they needed to invent a wireless ECG system which can narrow geographical distances.

Their wireless real-time ECG system has a small measurement device, saves power, has low cost, and includes a system of transmitting and receiving wireless signals via Bluetooth Low Energy and Internet.

The ECG signals received on smartphone are transmitted to the database server via internet. A remote-controlled health management system is set up on Android phone and Windows laptop to save and give signals to clients.

The equipment is designed in a way to ensure that it is easily portable and can operate for two days at maximum.

The system has been tested on both avsimulator and real patients with high compatibility compared with standard medical equipment. The system can transmit signals in real time with the latency of no more than 30 seconds.

The inventors say they are trying to design the hardware in a way to make it compact with no external cable. 

Kham Pha