Development of a Radial Pulse Monitoring System Based on a Graphene-Coated Fiber

The radial pulse is considered as a fundamental indicator for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases, which can guide therapeutic decisions in complex clinical situations. We designed and fabricated a real-time low-cost wearable pulse monitoring system based on a graphene-coated fiber to detect the radial pulse. The graphene-coated fiber, acting as sensing component, had excellent conductance property and high sensitivity. However, the amplitude of the pulse is subtle, always masked by noise. As a consequence, a diminutive signal conditioning unit integrated with a low-noise instrument amplifier was developed to enhance the signals. Furtherly, we proposed a newly multistage filter method to attenuate the noise synchronously. The signal noise ratio was improved by at least 27 dB, compared with a traditional measurement method. Meanwhile, a graphical user interface was developed to monitor the pulses in real time, making the monitor convenient and timely. The heart rate, which is of clinical significance, was measured accurately. The data were being stored in the PC terminal simultaneously to obtain an overall heart health and fitness level. The superior sensing performance and economic fabrication process of the pulse monitoring system strengthen our confidence in the application of the smart fabrics in wearable sensing and home health care fields.