This　study　proposes　a　low-power　wearable　electrocardiogram　(ECG)　acquisition　system　for　monitoring　human　health　in　daily　life.　A　flexible　sensing　electrode　was　designed　to　replace　traditional　silver-silver　chloride　(Ag/AgCl)　electrodes　for　measuring　ECG　signals　from　leads　I,　II,　and　V1.　The　traditional　multi-lead-wired　ECG　detector　limits　the　movements　and　activities　of　the　patient　and　requires　medical　staff　to　assist　in　collecting　ECG　signals.　The　portable　ECG　acquisition　device　proposed　in　this　article　is　not　only　comfortable　to　wear　but　also　convenient　for　patients　to　use　anytime,　anywhere.　To　increase　the　sampling　rate　of　the　device　to　obtain　more　ECG　signal　information,　this　study　proposes　an　innovative　Huffman　lossless　ECG　data　compression　algorithm　based　on　variable-word　length　coding　(VLC).　This　algorithm　can　efficiently　realize　data　compression　and　reduce　power　consumption.　It　makes　the　whole　system　operate　continuously　for　a　long　period　of　time　and　acquire　abundant　ECG　information,　which　is　helpful　for　clinical　diagnosis.　Experimental　results　show　that　when　the　sampling　rate　is　400　Hz,　the　working　current　is　only　3.64　mA,　and　the　compression　ratio　(CR)　of　the　device　can　reach　2.38.　©　2001-2012　IEEE.