Vincent Montaño, a faculty of the College of Engineering of Samar State University was chosen as the 1st prize winner under the professional category during this year’s Regional Health Research Summit held in Ormoc City. His project entitled “ECG Signal Classification for Remote Area Patients using Artificial Neural Networks in Smartphone” which functions as an electro-cardiogram (ECG) machine bested three other finalists. The gadget developed by Engr. Montano caught the interests of the judges because of its unique features that will make monitoring of patients more effecient and on realtime anywhere they are. The device measuring about 10 x 15 x 20 cm can read ECG without lenghty paper for a cardiologist to read. The said readings can be sent through SMS and read by a smartphone, enabling the patients doctor anywhere he/she is as long as their is a mobile phone signal.
Montaño explained that his device works by attaching a sensor in to the wrist of the patient to record the pulse. The said signals are transmitted after it has been converted into a series of numerical signals sent through texts. Since there will be so much data transmitted, Engr. Montano devised an algorithm to reduce the volume of data
On its early stage of innivation, the device acuracy have been tested and have been shown to be about 97-98% accurate as compared to regular ECG. Montano said that he still needs two to three more years to perfect his device and need support to continue the innovation.
Montano’s teachnology and paper have been presented in an international convention in Paris France and have been published in the Countryside Development Research Journal.