Bioimpedance Spectroscopy with textile Electrodes for a continuous Monitoring Application

Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) enables the determination of the human body composition (e.g. fat content, water content). From this data, it is possible to draw conclusions about the person’s health condition. The measurement is carried out with at least four electrodes placed on the body. Nowadays, positioning and wiring of the electrodes can only been conducted by qualified personnel. Even the latest systems on the market are uncomfortable to wear and their use for mobile purposes is highly limited. The commercial BIS electrodes, not suitable for a long term use, may cause allergic reactions. Textile integration plays a role not just concerning the manufacturing of long term electrodes, but also concerning the integration of cables and other electrical components into a wearable and comfortable application. In this article, a portable BIS system combined with textile electrodes is presented as a possible future application. The first validation results of the portable BIS-device and textile electrodes are analysed and the suitability of application is discussed in order to develop a wearable bioimpedance spectroscopy system.