03/20/2025
By Danielle Fretwell

The Francis College of Engineering, Department of Plastics Engineering, invites you to attend a Doctoral Dissertation Proposal defense by Kedar Bagewadi on: "Fabric Integrated Polymer-based Dry Electrode System for Physiological Monitoring."

Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 2 - 3 p.m.
Location: Olney Hall G22

Committee:
Advisor: Ramaswamy Nagarajan, Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor, Plastics Engineering, UMass Lowell

Committee Members*
1. Jayant Kumar, Ph.D., Professor, Physics and Applied Physics, UMass Lowell
2. Amir Ameli, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Plastics Engineering, UMass Lowell
3. Paola D’Angelo, Ph.D., Research Bioengineer, US Army DEVCOM Soldier Center, Natick, Massachusetts

Abstract

This research focuses on developing a novel polymeric dry electrode system that is suitable for being integrated into the fabric for physiological monitoring, particularly for Electrocardiography (ECG). Traditional silver/silver chloride-based hydrogel electrodes suffer from limitations such as gel drying out, skin irritation and motion artefacts, making them unsuitable for prolonged use. To address these challenges, a polymer-based dry electrode system was developed and characterized to optimize skin-electrode impedance, electrical resistance and dielectric properties.

The system successfully captures good-quality ECG signals in both static and dynamic conditions, demonstrating performance comparable to commercial hydrogel-based electrodes. The proposed work will focus on improving the durability, flexibility and long-term usability of the fabric-integrated electrodes. Washability, abrasion resistance and tensile fatigue resistance tests will be conducted to ensure the longevity of the electrodes in real-world applications. Additionally, efforts will be directed toward developing monofilament electrodes, enabling seamless integration of the electrodes at the yarn level to enhance comfort and conductivity. Furthermore, the integration of these electrodes into fabrics will also be explored.

This work paves the way for advanced, skin-friendly and motion-tolerant, next-generation wearable health monitoring systems for medical, sports and defense applications.