Registered report protocol: Developing an artifact index for capacitive electrocardiography signals acquired with an armchair

Continuous monitoring of an electrocardiogram (ECG) in private diagnostic spaces such as vehicles or apartments allows early detection of cardiovascular diseases. We will use an armchair with integrated capacitive electrodes to record the capacitive electrocardiogram (cECG) during everyday activities. However, movements and other artifacts affect the signal quality. Therefore, an artifact index is needed to detect artifacts and classify the cECG. The unavailability of cECG data and reliable ground truth information requires new recordings to develop an artifact index. This study is designed to test the hypothesis: an artifact index can be devised, which intends to estimate the signal quality of segments and classify signals. In a single-arm study with 44 subjects, we will record two activities of 11-minute duration: reading and watching television. During recording, we will capture cECG, ECG, and oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) with time synchronization as well as keypoint-based movement indicators obtained from a video camera. SpO(2) provides additional information on the subject’s health status. The keypoint-based movements indicate artifacts in the cECG. We will combine all ground truth data to evaluate the index. In the future, we aim at using the artifact index to exclude cECG segments with artifacts from further analysis. This will improve cECG technology for the measurement of cardiovascular parameters.