Graphene oxide — Nylon ECG sensors for wearable IoT healthcare

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 (CMS) such as ECG sensors connected to the Internet of Things 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 (SEM). Finally, bonding between the layers of the composite and between composite and the Nylon is analyzed by Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.