Graphene oxide: Nylon ECG sensors for wearable IoT healthcare—nanomaterial and SoC interface

The Internet of Things (IoT) presents opportunities to address a variety of systemic, metabolic healthcare issues. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are among the greatest contributors to premature death worldwide. Wireless wearable continuous monitoring systems such as ECG sensors connected to the IoT can greatly decrease the risk of death related to cardiac issues by providing valuable long-term information to physicians, as well as immediate contact with emergency services in the event of a heart attack or stroke. In this report we discuss the fabrication, characterization and validation of composite fabric ECG sensors made from Nylon ® coated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO x ) as part of a self-powered wearable IoT sensor. We utilize an electronic probing station to measure electrical properties, take live ECG data to measure signal reliability, and provide detailed surface characterization through scanning electron microscopy. Finally, bonding between the layers of the composite and between composite and the Nylon ® is analyzed by Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, a low power analog front end circuit designed in 65 nm CMOS process is presented to interface the sensor with a system on chip used in a wearable IoT healthcare device.