Advancing wearable bioelectronics in emerging applications: seamless ECG monitoring through mechanically-supported electrical interconnects

Abstract Modern healthcare is benefiting from advanced wearable devices for the diagnosis and treatment of a wide array of medical conditions. The development of effective, comfortable, and reliable electrodes is of paramount importance for capturing essential biological signals such as electrocardiography (ECG), electromyography, and electroencephalography. There is a growing interest in developing electrodes with non-rigid and flexible materials and efficient designs to improve bio signal reception. In this study, we have focused on the design and evaluation of wearable ECG dry electrodes for long-term seamless operation. These electrodes utilize a novel hexagonal design with Kapton-supported thin film-based electrical interconnects for enhanced mechanical flexibility. 500 µ m ultra-thin profile of the dry electrode contributes well to its self-adhesion to the curvilinear surface of the skin. The electrode achieves an SNR of 88 dB (compared to 87 dB for wet electrodes) and a crest factor of 5.82 dB (versus 5.56 dB for wet electrodes). Experimental results indicate comparable electrical properties to traditional wet electrodes in the frequency range of interest (0.5–100 Hz), with enhanced mechanical flexibility and comfort. Thanks to the adopted technology, the electrodes perform well under various mechanical forces and maintain conformal contact resulting in minimized motion artifacts.