Soft conductive hydrogel patch electrodes for dynamic human electrocardiogram acquisition

Abstract Reliable and stable recording of ECG signals during dynamic movements is crucial for modern clinical cardiology and future healthcare applications. However, high electrical impedance and nonconformal interface between soft tissues and conventional ECG electrodes in dynamic environments continue to hinder their widespread use in portable ECG applications. This study presents the development and application of a wireless ECG monitoring device based on a soft and conductive graphene oxide (GO) hydrogel, designed to overcome these limitations. The GO hydrogel electrodes, consisting of chemically exfoliated GO flakes as a filler material and water‐soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the polymer backbone, demonstrate low electrical impedance and a reliable interface for dynamic ECG acquisition. We developed a limb‐mounted ECG monitoring system integrating these soft and conductive GO/PVA hydrogel electrodes with communication modules. This system was designed to capture raw ECG signals during both resting and walking states. The results indicate that the ECG signals recorded with the GO/PVA hydrogel patch electrodes more accurately represent R‐peaks and other ECG patterns compared with those obtained with commercial ECG monitoring electrodes, particularly under conditions involving significant movement.