Development and Validation of an Open Hardware Multimodal Platform for Acquisition, Processing, and Visualization of Biosignals: Contributions to Teaching and Practical Training in Biomedical Engineering.
Remote monitoring of biological signals; biopotentials; storage and transmission of bioelectrical signals; monitoring of epilepsy.
Introduction: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by the recurrent occurrence of epileptic seizures, which are driven by abnormal and synchronous excessive electrical discharges in the brain. These seizures can induce motor, cognitive, sensory, and autonomic alterations, significantly impairing the patients' quality of life. Due to the inherent risks and clinical complications—particularly in cases of frequent or nocturnal seizures—continuous monitoring is paramount for patient safety and proper clinical follow-up. Real-time monitoring of bioelectrical signals remains a critical challenge in small, remote communities with limited healthcare access. Emerging technologies for bioelectrical signal acquisition can enhance health monitoring and diagnostics. Therefore, developing a remote device for these signals would greatly benefit both patients and healthcare professionals. Methods: This work aims to develop a low-cost system for the real-time acquisition and monitoring of human biopotential signals (EMG, ECG, and EEG). The architecture consists of a patient isolation and safety circuit, a biopotential signal conditioning and acquisition circuit, and a visualization system integrated with web-based programming and internet data transmission. A proof-of-concept study was conducted with 23 healthy volunteers. Surface electrodes were positioned at specific anatomical landmarks—including the olecranon, biceps brachii, thorax, and scalp—to capture EMG, ECG, and EEG signals, respectively. Preliminary results verified the system's capacity to acquire, visualize, and transmit these telemetry signals in real time over the internet. The ultimate goal is to scale this system to optimize biopotential monitoring and reduce healthcare expenditures. Results: The developed system successfully executed all intended functional requirements. During ECG signal acquisition across all 23 volunteers, the characteristic PQRST complex of the cardiac electrical waveform was clearly resolved and displayed. Similarly, cortical mapping of the occipital region successfully captured alpha waves in all subjects under appropriate resting conditions. Furthermore, the electromyographic (EMG) data waveforms were easily analyzed. It is anticipated that this project will be broadly implemented within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), providing healthcare providers and specialists with a faster, more accessible method for remote biopotential monitoring and real-time data visualization, thereby mitigating the primary healthcare disparities addressed in this study. Conclusions: The development of low-cost instrumentation for human bioelectrical signal monitoring is crucial for healthcare delivery, particularly in medically underserved and remote areas. This study successfully developed a device capable of acquiring EMG, ECG, and EEG signals, enabling remote visualization to improve patient surveillance and curtail clinical costs. The system integrates electronic signal conditioning hardware, patient safety isolation, visualization software, and IoT-based data transmission, allowing clinicians to monitor patients from a distance. Bench and in-vivo testing validated the system's robustness in data acquisition, processing, and online transmission. Widespread deployment within the Unified Health System (SUS) is expected to streamline biopotential monitoring and enhance remote diagnostic agility for physicians and specialists.