Ppg watch

PPG Watch PCB Design

Project Overview

This project presents the design and routing of a Photoplethysmography (PPG) based wearable watch PCB, developed using KiCad 9.0. The PCB is designed to acquire pulse signals using an optical PPG sensor and support wearable health monitoring applications.

Key Features

• Compact wearable watch-size PCB layout
• Designed using KiCad 9.0
• Single-layer component placement
• Multi-layer routing for optimized signal flow
• Clear reference designators (U1, R1, C1, etc.)
• Dedicated power management section
• Sensor integration for PPG signal acquisition
• Optimized routing for noise reduction
• Organized schematic hierarchy

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System Description

The PPG watch system includes the following major functional blocks:

1. PPG Sensor Module

• Optical PPG sensor detects blood volume changes.
• Uses LED light reflection technique.
• Generates analog signals corresponding to pulse rate.

2. Power Management Circuit

• Provides regulated voltage to all modules.
• Includes filtering capacitors for noise reduction.
• Ensures stable operation of sensor and processing units.

3. Processing Unit

• Microcontroller interface for signal acquisition.
• Processes raw PPG signals.
• Enables communication with external systems.

4. PCB Layout Design

• Compact layout suitable for wearable form factor.
• Optimized component placement for shorter routing paths.
• Ground routing designed to reduce noise interference.

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Design Tools Used

• EDA Tool: KiCad 9.0
• PCB Design: Schematic + Layout
• Library Management: Custom and standard KiCad libraries

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PCB Design Specifications

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Files Included in Repository

• .kicad_pro — Project file
• .kicad_sch — Schematic design
• .kicad_pcb — PCB layout
• .pretty — Custom footprints
• Backup schematic references
• Supporting design files

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Design Considerations

The following engineering practices were followed during PCB development:

• Short routing paths to reduce signal delay
• Proper decoupling capacitor placement
• Organized power distribution
• Clear component labeling
• Noise-sensitive routing considerations
• Manufacturable PCB layout structure

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Applications

This PCB design can be used in:

• Wearable health monitoring devices
• Heart rate monitoring systems
• Biomedical signal acquisition systems
• Smart wearable electronics
• Embedded biomedical devices

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Learning Outcomes

Through this project, the following skills were developed:

• PCB schematic design
• Multi-layer PCB routing
• Component placement optimization
• Power and signal integrity considerations
• Wearable PCB design techniques
• KiCad professional workflow
• Hardware documentation practices

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Future Improvements

Possible future enhancements include:

• Integration with wireless communication (BLE)
• Battery charging circuit addition
• Sensor accuracy improvements
• Miniaturized PCB version
• Enclosure design for wearable deployment

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Author

Harish Bawin Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) PCB Design | Embedded Systems | Hardware Development

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License

This project is intended for educational and learning purposes.