Development of patch-type sensor module for wireless monitoring of heart rate and movement index

A patch-type sensor module (AIRBEAT System) for wireless monitoring of heart rate and movement index has been developed and evaluated. The major components of the system are the sensor board, the rubber case, and the communication module. The small sensor is patched onto the subject's chest to obtain physiological data, including heart rate and movement index. The relation test for heart rate yields an error rate within 2% compared with the CASE system (GE, USA). A three-axis accelerometer was chosen because of its low power consumption and very small size. The correlation coefficient between the average movement index and the conventionally used agility point score was found to be in the range of 0.8–0.9. A commercially available Zigbee telecommunication system was used for communication over distances of more than 400 m in an open space. According to the Bruce test protocol, changes in heart rate and movement index can be efficiently monitored and measured using the device. It has also been confirmed that the patch-type sensor module with built-in analysis algorithm can be used as an efficient tool for athletic training.