1. Keeping a Beat on the Heart.
- Author
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Liszka, Kathy J., Mackin, Michael A., Lichter, Michael J., York, David W., Pillai, Dilip, and Rosenbaum, David S.
- Subjects
TELEMEDICINE ,DATA transmission systems ,GLOBAL Positioning System ,COMPUTER storage devices - Abstract
This paper describes the Arrhythmia Monitoring System (AMS), a working wireless telemetry system test bed developed at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Case Western Reserve University's Heart & Vascular Center. AMS collects real-time electrocardiogram (ECG) signals from mobile or home-bound patients, combines Global Positioning System (GPS) location data and transmits both to a remote station for display and monitoring. The central server performs several functions, including data compression, location awareness via GPS signals and rudimentary arrhythmia detection. This modular design supports common research goals involving human health in space as well as on earth. Cardiac dysrhythmias present a major health risk to astronauts. An ECG represents the heart muscle's electrical activity as it is recorded from surface sensors placed in standard locations on the body. The central server is the logical midpoint between a patient and the call center. Device capabilities and a wireless service provider drive session management. Wireless transmission of ECG tightly coupled with GPS coordinates kindles debate over medical and location privacy. The privacy issues being ironed out involve ownership of the location information and control or disclosure with or without customer consent.
- Published
- 2004
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