Assessment of Single-Lead Ecg Signal Quality in Wearable Devices: Comparison between Chest Straps and Adhesive Patch

Wearable single-lead ECG devices are increasingly used for continuous cardiac monitoring in both clinical and everyday settings. However, their diagnostic value critically depends on the quality of the acquired signals, which can be affected by device design and usage conditions. This study compares the signal quality of three commercially available wearable ECG devices, two chest straps (Movesense strap and Zephyr BioHarness), and an adhesive patch (Movesense patch), during static and dynamic activities typical of daily activities. Ten healthy volunteers performed a standardized protocol while ECG signals were simultaneously recorded from all devices. Signal quality was assessed using a signal quality index (SQI) algorithm. Results showed that cheststrap based devices consistently achieved higher SQI values, whereas the adhesive patch demonstrated lower signal quality, likely due to adhesive degradation over time. These findings highlight the trade-offs between signal reliability and wearability among different ECG wearable designs, supporting informed device selection for both clinical applications and longterm monitoring.