ELECTROCARDIOGRAPH BASED ON ARDUINO MICROCONTROLLER: DEVICE AND SOFTWARE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

This project focuses on the design and development of an electrocardiograph (ECG) utilizing a heart rate sensor and an Arduino microcontroller, this is accompanied by an intuitive and interactive Graphical User Interface (GUI). It fulfils the need for reliable and accessible al ternatives for cardiac monitoring in domestic and medical contexts. The ECG is an essential diagnostic tool that provides valuable information regarding the electrical activity of the heart, allowing healthcare professionals to identify cardiac anomalies effectively. However, it is not only used for cardiac disease prognoses, like palpitations or chest pain, it is also used to evaluate symptoms like shortness of breath and dizziness, that might indicate underlying conditions like arrhythmia. The main goal of this project is to create a portable and inexpensive ECG device for domes tic use as a personal health monitoring tool and for educational purposes in biomedical degrees. The ECGsystem, based on the AD8232 sensor, includes a GUI designed to provide an intuitive and effective cardiac monitoring experience to users. By offering a versatile and cost-effective alternative, this project aims to enlarge access to cardiac monitoring, contributing to the cardio vascular health of the general population and also serving as an educational tool for biomedical engineering degree students. The development of the ECG monitoring system encompasses multiple key aspects. The components utilized were chosen based on their compatibility and performance with the Ar duino board. The hardware development includes the design of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and a 3D-printed enclosure to store the device securely. The software components include the development of Python code to create the connection with the AD8232 sensor in order to pro cess the captured data and the GUI which displays the ECG data in real-time. Filters are also applied to the ECG to remove the noise from the registered data. Multiple testing and validation of the ECG system were performed to ensure its efficacy and reliability. The tests include measuring the ECG of a healthy person under different cir cumstances to evaluate the device performance under multiple conditions. Furthermore, the device¿s resistance to external interferences is also covered in order to ensure a reliable perfor mance in different environments.