Process

Ideation & sketches

To connect the AD8232 ECG sensor to the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Sense, you will use specific pins for power, ground, analog input, and lead-off detection. The AD8232 operates at 3.3V, which is compatible with the XIAO ESP32S3 Sense's logic levels.

The electrode will be connected to the wrist of the user to sense the heartbit.

Pinout connection

AD8232	Description	Xiao ESP32S3 pin
GND	Ground	GND
3.3v	Power	3.3v
OUTPUT	Analog Signal	A0 or any analog pin
LO-	Lead-Off detect-	D1 or any GPIO
LO+	Lead-Off detect+	D2 or any GPIO

Code to read the heartbit signals

#define ECG_PIN A0      // GPIO1
#define LO_PLUS 2       // GPIO2
#define LO_MINUS 3      // GPIO3

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  delay(1000);

  pinMode(LO_PLUS, INPUT);
  pinMode(LO_MINUS, INPUT);

  Serial.println("ECG Monitoring Started");
}

void loop() {
  // Check if electrodes are connected
  if (digitalRead(LO_PLUS) == 1 || digitalRead(LO_MINUS) == 1) {
    Serial.println("Lead Off!");
  } else {
    int ecgValue = analogRead(ECG_PIN);
    Serial.println(ecgValue);
  }

  delay(4); // ~250 Hz sampling (good for ECG)
}

Design & Fabrication

once you start designing and fabricating your first tests, you can link both at the bottom of the page with footnotes

"This step of the process was important because i learnt to draft my own pattern digitally. The first tests of this can be seen here on the right, find half- or test-fabrication files here¹"

Prototypes

prototypes are your first step towards shaping your final piece, product, material et cetera

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Mentoring notes

Mentors in all sessions may share with you their comments, notes, advise, projects and technical equipment to check out. This is good place to share those, so that you can find them later on when you need them the most!

Half-fabrication files

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1. Test file: 3d modelling test ↩