Real-Time ECG Monitoring over Multi-Tiered Telemedicine Environment using Firebase

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a vital biosignal which is required during most types of emergencies. In a world of ever-growing road accidents and cardio-related emergencies, efficient healthcare is a very important requirement. Telemedicine is a very effective means of healthcare in rural areas as well as when critical patients need to be transported long distances for better treatment. The challenge faced by developing countries like India is having a proper system that is cost-effective, reliable and easy to implement. Here we propose a cloud-based ECG transmission system that can enable real-time ECG monitoring over cellular networks. The proposed system is a software framework to effectively store and transmit ECG signals in real-time using smartphones enabled with an internet connection. Efficient data storage and data transmission are achieved using Firebase cloud DB (database) and Google cloud storage for data storage and management. A portable ECG data acquisition device is used for data capturing on the go. The system enables real-time visualization of the ECG data on the doctor's side.