ABSTRACT
The need of the hour is to bridge the ever-increasing gap between the number of patients and the available number of doctors. The solution lies with technology where the doctors will be able to have services that can continuously monitor the patients’ health round the clock without the need of a patient visit to the doctor. For this, electronic devices such as sensors can be used which will be fitted on the patient's body. These sensors will continually monitor vital parameters and will give an instantaneous alert as soon the values of measured parameters reach a set threshold. The best possible way to monitor an individual's health is with an electro-cardiogram (ECG) through an implantable device capable of sensing and generating measurable signals. Possible implantable techniques include the use of armbands fitted with sensors, wearable smart garments in the form of shirts, t-shirts and gloves. In all of these techniques, one common differentiating characteristic is whether they are in direct contact with the human skin or not. When in direct contact with the skin, it is of contact type, and if not then it is of non-contact type. Contact type measurement will not create any capacitance while the other technique does. While the choice of technique is the first phase of design, the next phase is to choose the transmission method of the measured signal. Wired and wireless transmissions are the two options and the choice depends primarily on the allowable distance between the patient and doctor.
