Development of a Rotation-Robust PPG Sensor for a Smart Ring

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of global mortality, highlighting the need for continuous vital sign monitoring. Photoplethysmography (PPG) is well suited for wearable devices. Smart rings, benefiting from dense capillary distribution and minimal tissue interference, can capture high-quality PPG signals with comfort, making them a promising next-generation wearable. However, ring rotation relative to the finger alters the optical path, especially for multi-wavelength light, thus reducing accuracy. This paper proposes a rotation-robust PPG sensor for smart rings. Monte Carlo simulations analyze photon transmission under different LED–photodiode (PD) angles, showing that at ±60°, green, red, and infrared light achieve optimal penetration into the microcirculation layer. Considering non-ideal conditions, the green-light angle is adjusted to ±30°, and a symmetrical sensor design is adopted. A prototype smart ring is developed, capable of recording 4-channel PPG, 3-axis acceleration, and 4-channel temperature signals at 100, 25, and 0.2 Hz, respectively. The system achieves reliable PPG acquisition with only 0.59 mA average current consumption. In continuous testing, heart rate estimation reached mean absolute errors of 0.82, 0.79, and 0.78 bpm for green, red, and IR light. The results provide a reference for future smart ring development.