Wearable IoT-Enabled Galvanic Skin Response Device for Objective Pain and Stress Monitoring: Hardware Design and Prototype Development

Abstract

Accurate pain and stress assessment remains a challenge in patients with limited communication ability. Current galvanic skin response (GSR) devices lack real-time feedback, wireless communication, and robustness against motion artifacts, limiting their clinical utility. This paper presents the design and development of a wearable internet-of-things (IoT) enabled GSR system incorporating Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, ergonomic mechanical housing, and artifact-filtering through a custom API. The system integrates finger-mounted electrodes, a custom amplifier and signal processor, an nRF52840 BLE microcontroller, and a rechargeable Li-ion battery in a compact 3D-printed wrist-mounted enclosure. Basic validation with two healthy subjects demonstrated reliable detection of stress-induced GSR fluctuations with reduced movement artifacts. Results indicate the feasibility of the proposed design as a low-cost, wireless, and ergonomic solution for objective pain and stress monitoring.