Patients present with a variety of possible cardiac symptoms that are often difficult or impossible to detect during their office visit with an ECG tracing. The miniature merlin ECG event recorder from Meditech was designed with this in mind, extending cardiac event recording times to weeks. This post-event, single-channel ECG recorder is built into a normal-size wristwatch. As transient arrhythmias and related symptoms may appear spontaneously without warning, it is important to have a recorder that is promptly activated in any circumstances without drawing unnecessary attention to the patient. Requiring no chest contact, merlin is easily activated by placing a hand on the face of the event recording watch. It can record and store up to 15 minutes of ECG. Flexible programming ensures multiple measures not limited to a preset recording length - merlin can store long or short strips to reflect any of the events. Remaining memory capacity and heart rate calculated from the recorded strip are displayed after each recording. Recordings are easily transmitted to the PC via an optical cable or using a standard modem. With normal use, merlin is expected to provide several months with the same batteries.
Main Features
Miniature, wristwatch-style ECG event recorder activated by simply placing a hand on the face of the watch
solid-state memory storing up to 15 minutes of ECG
flexible programming not limited to a preset recording
length, option to enable new recordings to overwrite
oldest ones if memory is full
data transmission to PC via optical cable or standard modem
several months' operation with the same batteries
Technical Parameters
power supply
2 CR1620 button cells
sampling and A/D resolution
200 Hz, 14 bits
frequency range
0.05 to 40 Hz
recording
post-symptom 1-channel recording with manual activation, programmable maximum recording length, multiple recordings with "endless" memory
storagesolid-state
(EEPROM) memory, total 15 minutes
data transfer
RS232 line, optical cable transmission, 57.600 baud, direct connection to standard modems for teletransmission
