Peter Gamma (Physiologist & Director) Meditation Research Institute Switzerland (MRIS)

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A scientifically validated & accurate alternative to OHRMs: 3 channel ECG devices based on OpenBCI

Posted bypg@petergamma.org

Last Updated on December 12, 2023 by pg@petergamma.org

Researchers from the University of Calgary found that a 3-lead ECG device based on the OpenBCI Cyton board can be used for HRV measurements instead of an industry-standard 3 lead ECG device from Adinstruments and costs only about 4%

Cited in 5 papers to this date:

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=de&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=The+validity+and+reliability+of+an+open+source+biosensing+board+to+quantify+heart+rate+variability&btnG=

1.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S153204642100263X

2.

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/9/1400

3.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hsr2.984

4.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665944122000268

5.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.980938/full

The last paper has an impressive list of institutes which are involved

  • 1Concussion Research Lab, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
  • 2Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • 3Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • 4Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • 5Faculty of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • 6Integrated Concussion Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • 7Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • 8Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • 9Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
  • 10Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 11University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 12Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 13School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Many of those are from the University of Calgary as the validation paper mentioned above about heart rate variablity.

  • Some of those papers are eventually also interesting for exercise and sports physiologists according to the papers they cite the above validation paper.
  • OpenBCI 3 channel ECG could eventually be an alternative to Schiller Medilog AR12 Plus Holter Recorder according to it’s specifications:
90.02 Research & medical grade ECG devices which some of those were used to study the accuracy of consumer grade HRMs in different papers
  • The sampling rate of OpenBCI Cyton is higher than the sampling rate of Schiller Medilog AR12 Plus Holter Recorder.
  • The requirements for research grade devices is according to Biosignals Plux 16 bit
  • OpenBCI has 24 bit
  • Schiller Medilog AR12 Plus Holter Recorder has only 12 bit
  • Furthermore the costs for OpenBCI Cyton are lower than for a Schiller Medilog AR12 Plus Holter Recorder which is $1700
  • The Schiller Medilog AR12 Plus Holter Recorder was used in this paper Rob ter Horst uses as his validation paper for the Polar H10:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31004219/

  • Schiller Medilog AR12 Plus Holter Recorder is not open source, OpenBCI Cyton is open source and can for instance be used with HeartPy.
  • HeartPy can also be used for ECG devices and is open source as well.
  • Instead of looking among the 100 smartwatches Rob ter Horst tested to find one which is validated scientifically in a paper, and not being able to find one OpenBCI Cyton is validated for heart rate variablity and still on the market.
  • May the list of papers who use OpenBCI Cyton as a 3 channel ECG device grow.
  • OpenBCI Cyton is eventually suitable for all sports men who are looking for an accurate heart rate monitor for non intense activities without strong body movements such as runs on a treadmill up to about 15 km/h.
  • We did not yet study this paper in detail yet, but as far as we know OpenBCI 3 channel ECG is validated for heart rate variablity. but not for heart rate in the above paper.
  • OpenBCI Cyton with 3 channels full-fills the requirements for a gold standard device for heart rate measurements.