Data from: Hearables: feasibility of recording cardiac rhythms from head and in-ear locations

Mobile technologies for the recording of vital signs and neural signals are envisaged to underpin the operation of future health services. For practical purposes, unobtrusive devices are favoured, such as those embedded in a helmet or incorporated onto an earplug. However, these locations have so far been underexplored, as the comparably narrow neck impedes the propagation of vital signals from the torso to the head surface. To establish the principles behind electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings from head and ear locations, we first introduce a realistic three-dimensional biophysics model for the propagation of cardiac electric potentials to the head surface, which demonstrates the feasibility of head-ECG recordings. Next, the proposed biophysics propagation model is verified over comprehensive real-world experiments based on head- and in-ear-ECG measurements. It is shown both that the proposed model is an excellent match for the recordings, and that the quality of head- and ear-ECG is sufficient for a reliable identification of the timing and shape of the characteristic P-, Q-, R-, S- and T-waves within the cardiac cycle. This opens up a range of new possibilities in the identification and management of heart conditions, such as myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation, based on 24/7 continuous in-ear measurements. The study therefore paves the way for the incorporation of the cardiac modality into future ‘hearables’, unobtrusive devices for health monitoring.

用于记录生命体征与神经信号的移动医疗技术，被视为支撑未来医疗服务体系运作的核心基石。出于实际应用考量，隐蔽无创的设备更受青睐，例如内置头盔或集成于耳塞的设备。但受限于颈部相对狭窄的生理结构，源自躯干的生命信号难以传导至头部表面，因此这类佩戴位置此前未得到充分研究。为阐明头部与耳部位置心电图（electrocardiogram, ECG）记录的核心原理，我们首先构建了贴合临床实际的三维生物物理模型，用于模拟心脏电势向头部表面的传导过程，该模型证实了头部心电图记录的可行性。随后，我们基于头部与入耳式心电图的实测数据开展了全面的真实世界实验，对所提出的生物物理传导模型进行验证。实验结果证实，所提模型与实测记录结果高度契合，且头部与耳部心电图的质量足以可靠识别心动周期内特征性P波、Q波、R波、S波及T波的时序与形态。这一成果为基于全天候（24/7）不间断入耳式测量的心脏疾病识别与管理开辟了全新路径，涵盖心肌梗死与心房颤动等病症。因此，本研究为将心脏监测模态融入未来‘可听穿戴设备（hearables）’——用于健康监测的隐蔽无创设备——铺平了道路。