Real time ECG Monitoring: A Review

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ISSN No: 2456
International
Research
Real time ECG Monitoring
Ms. Dhanashri Yamagekar
Electronics Technology, Department of Technology,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra,
ABSTRACT
Day by day the scope & use of the electronics concepts
in bio-medical field is increasing step by step. In this
paper the review of newly developed concepts is done
for the monitoring of the ECG signal. This paper also
reviews a power and area efficient electrocardiogram
(ECG) acquisition and signal processing application
sensor node. Further the study of IoT frame work for
ECG monitoring has been carried out.
Keyword: IoT (Internet og things), Electrocardiogram
(ECG) signals, data acquisition
I. INTRODUCTION
The word electrocardiography is evolved from Greek
word Kardia which means Heart. ECG that is
electrocardiography is a process of interpretation of
heart activity over the period of time and is detected by
electrodes attached to the surface of body. An ECG is
used to measure the heart’s electrical conduction
system. It picks up electrical impulses generated by the
polarization and depolarization of cardiac tissue and
translates into a waveform. The waveform is then used
to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats, as
as the size and position of the chambers, the presence
of any damage to the heart, and the effects of the drugs
or devices used to regulate the heart, such as a
pacemaker. A typical ECG tracing of normal heartbeat
consists of a P wave, a QRS complex and a T wave.
The variety of QRS complex shape morphologies
causes the performance of QRS complex det
algorithms that use FIR filter and fixed width
integration windows to decrease when the QRS
morphology changes. To avoid this problem, a new
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 1 | Nov-Dec 2017
ISSN No: 2456 - 6470 | www.ijtsrd.com | Volume
International Journal of Trend in Scientific
Research and Development (IJTSRD)
International Open Access Journal
Real time ECG Monitoring: A Review
Ms. Dhanashri Yamagekar
Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India
Dr. Pradip Bhaskar
Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra,
Day by day the scope & use of the electronics concepts
by step. In this
paper the review of newly developed concepts is done
for the monitoring of the ECG signal. This paper also
reviews a power and area efficient electrocardiogram
processing application
frame work for
IoT (Internet og things), Electrocardiogram
The word electrocardiography is evolved from Greek
word Kardia which means Heart. ECG that is
a process of interpretation of
heart activity over the period of time and is detected by
electrodes attached to the surface of body. An ECG is
used to measure the heart’s electrical conduction
system. It picks up electrical impulses generated by the
zation and depolarization of cardiac tissue and
translates into a waveform. The waveform is then used
nd regularity of heartbeats, as well
as the size and position of the chambers, the presence
cts of the drugs
or devices used to regulate the heart, such as a
pacemaker. A typical ECG tracing of normal heartbeat
consists of a P wave, a QRS complex and a T wave.
The variety of QRS complex shape morphologies
causes the performance of QRS complex detection
algorithms that use FIR filter and fixed width
integration windows to decrease when the QRS
morphology changes. To avoid this problem, a new
approach to QRS complex detection based on FIR filter
is to be used.
Fig.1. An example of ECG signal with s
intervals and segmentation
In 1901, Willem Einthoven was invented an ECG
machine by a string galvanometer to measure ECG and
assigned letters P, Q, R, S and T to the various
deflections and form ECG signal as shown in Figure 1.
Now a day’s medical science still shows clear results
for diagnosis. The processing methods require realtime
for the diagnosis of cardiac diseases accurately. The
ECG wave shape of the cardiac cycle is accounted with
high energy concentration in QRS complex and low
energy concentration in T wave and U wave. This two
wave (T and U) is normally invisible in 50 to 75 % of
ECGs.
Dec 2017 Page: 1544
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Scientific
(IJTSRD)
International Open Access Journal
Pradip Bhaskar
Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India
approach to QRS complex detection based on FIR filter
Fig.1. An example of ECG signal with specified waves,
intervals and segmentation
In 1901, Willem Einthoven was invented an ECG
by a string galvanometer to measure ECG and
assigned letters P, Q, R, S and T to the various
deflections and form ECG signal as shown in Figure 1.
medical science still shows clear results
for diagnosis. The processing methods require realtime
for the diagnosis of cardiac diseases accurately. The
ECG wave shape of the cardiac cycle is accounted with
high energy concentration in QRS complex and low
ergy concentration in T wave and U wave. This two
invisible in 50 to 75 % of

International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 1 | Nov-Dec 2017 Page: 1545
II. LITERATURE SURVEY
In the last few years, there are different Real time
ECG monitoring systems proposed by many
researchers.
D Zazula, A SoStariE, D KoroSec, D Korie, M
Vezjakt, M Spegelt, P Reinhradtj [1994], describes a
real-time software package for monitoring and
processing the exercise electrocardiograms (ECG).
The package consists of programs for on-line analysis
and for the post-exercise verification of the on-line
results. Principles of operation under the MS-DOS
operating system on PCs are disclosed. Real time
performance is evaluated, whereas the computer
obtained analysis results are compared to the manual
readings.[2]
Yongming Yang I, Xiaobo Huang 1, Xinghuo Yu,
[2007], presented the design and development of
a real-time ECG monitoring system based on FPGA
with EDA technique. The system integrates the
functions of ECG data collection, storage, processing
and transmission with integrated hardware and
software. It has advantages such as low power
consumption, high integrated level, good stability,
convenience to carry around and long usage time. The
system achieves most real-time monitoring
functionalities in one FPGA chip, and can be
improved or added with some other modules with
software modification. It is more intelligent compared
with existing portable ECG monitoring system.[3]
Borromeo S, Rodriguez-Sanchez C, Machado F,
Hernandez-Tamames JA, de la Prieta R, [2007],
present a new system for Electrocardiogram (ECG)
acquisition and its processing, with wireless
transmission on demand (either the complete ECG or
only one alarm message, just in case a pathological
heart rate detected). Size and power consumption are
optimized in order to provide mobility and comfort to
the patient. It is design a modular hardware system and
an autonomous platform based on a Field
Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for developing and
debugging. The modular approach allows to redesign
the system in an easy way. Its adaptation to a new
biomedical signal would only need small changes on
it.[4]
Brian A. Walker#, Ahsan H. Khandoker#, and Jim
Black, [2009], this paper present the designing,
building and testing a complete ECG data logging
system has been fulfilled. Electrodes were constructed,
an amplifier was designed and tested, firmware was
programmed into a USB microcontroller interface
which successfully digitized the incoming ECG
signals, and finally a program in Visual C++ was
written to successfully display the ECG signals on
both a PDA running the Windows Mobile 6.0 Classic
Edition Platform, and a laptop running Windows XP.
The results have so far been good, and they have not
deviated significantly from results obtained using
commercial equipment. Different types of electrodes -
both commercial and homemade – have effectively
been utilized which have resulted in ECG signals with
SNRs approaching a value which would result in a
measured heart rate having an error which is within 1
beat per minute. ECG signals were successfully
displayed on a Windows PC via its USB port, and on a
PDA using Bluetooth.[5]
Ondrej Krejcar, Dalibor Janckulik, Leona Motalova,
Karel Musil, [2010], presents a problem of Real Time
processing of ECG signal from patients by mobile
embedded monitoring stations. Two ECG
measurement devices were used in real tests. A two
ECG channel bipolar ECG core Belt and a 12 channels
ECG device Blue ECG. Both devices are products
from Core Science Company. Due to a problem of
processing a 12 channels ECG from ECG device by
Bluetooth to mobile stations, the problem of packet
parsing was discussed and two possible solutions were
focused on. Another important part in biomedical data
processing is visualization. A Windows Presentation
Foundation solution was presented and tested. Mobile
embedded monitoring stations are based on Microsoft
Windows Mobile operating system. The whole system
is based on the architecture of .NET Framework, .NET
Compact Framework, .NET Micro Framework and
Microsoft SQL Server.[6]
Ankit J. Gordhandas and Thomas Heldt and George C.
Verghese [2011], present a real-time ECG processing
algorithm that “compresses” the raw data by
identifying and retaining clinically relevant landmarks
of the ECG on a beat-bybeat basis. The retained
landmarks are the kinds of variables a clinician uses to
interpret the ECG, such as the width and height of the
QRS complex or the elevation of the ST segment.
Furthermore, the algorithm keeps a running average of
each landmark and triggers an alarm whenever
significant changes are detected. When such an event
is triggered, the algorithm automatically stores the raw
ECG data from five beats preceding to five beats
following the anomaly, for the benefit of review by a
clinician. While our data compression algorithm is
inherently lossy, a cartoon-type ECG beat can be

reconstructed that conveyes most of the relevant
information on which clinical decisions are based.[7]
Abhilasha M. Patel, Pankaj K. Gakare, A. N.
Cheeran[2012], proposed the development of an
efficient arrhythmia detection algorithm using ECG
signal so that detection of arrhythmia at initial stages
is possible using a smart-phone which is readily
available anywhere which makes complete system
mobile. Subjects for experiments included normal
patients, patients with Bradycardia, Tachycardia, atrial
premature contraction (APC), patients with ventricular
premature contraction (PVC) and patients with Sleep
Apnea. Pan-Tompkins algorithm was used to find the
locations of QRS complexes and R Peaks. The
algorithm to detect different arrhythmia is based on
position of P wave, QRS complex, R Peak and T wave
and on interval between these waves on android smart-
phone. The algorithm was tested using MIT-BIH
arrhythmia database. Results revealed that the system
is accurate and efficient to classify arrhythmias as high
overall performance (97.3%) for the classification of
the different categories of arrhythmic beats was
achieved. The proposed arrhythmia detection
algorithm may therefore be helpful to the clinical
diagnosis.[8]
Sonal K. Jagtap, M. D. Uplane[2012], proposed the
Digital filter is the preeminent solution that caters the
noise reduction up to satisfactory level. A digital Filter
technique is best suited for ECG analysis and thereby
helps in improving the quality of ECG signal with the
help of Chebyshev Type II filter. From the results, it is
seen that the filters reduces the low and high
frequency components. The power line noise is also
reduced. It is seen tip of the QRS complex is distorted.
The outputs of the Chebyshev II filter shows that after
using filter there is distortion in the ST part of the
waveform. Both the filters work Satisfactory. Further
this work can be applied on different types of filters
and then depending on performance final model can be
implemented to estimate the better quality signal.[9]
Sayanti Chattopadhyay1, Susmita Das2, Avishek
Nag3, Jayanta Kumar Ray4, Soumyendu
Bhattacharjee5, Dr. Biswarup Neogi,[2012], proposed
work is done in a bridge with biomedical & signal
systems. Here peak analysis is done and frequency
domain analysis (Fourier Transform) will be done in
future. Apparent change in wavelet domain will be
analyzed. An ECG signal defines heart characteristics.
As disease changes ECG signal changes. If these two
signals are compared then a good work can be done.
Till now the analysis is done with R-peak but in future
the work will go on with the other peaks too. A
computational intelligence is created for different heart
diseases. The PC-based ECG signal simulator
designed for ECG data supply to the hardware can be
used for any other research based processing
procedures of ECG signal where parallel data transfer
scheme in required.[10]
Masudul Haider Imtiaz & Md. Adnan Kiber, [2013],
proposed algorithm obtains an average
sensitivity rate of 93.7% and average error rate below
8% after analyzing 25 records. To our knowledge,
only the R spike detectors based on Li’s algorithm
obtained the comparable results with sensitivity
between 99.7% and 99.9%. However, that algorithm
makes use of several heuristic rules and requires the
setting of many empirical parameters. Here the
proposed algorithm achieves comparable
performances with a simple non-parametric
thresholding method and without any need of
advanced post processing stage comparing to that
article. Also, the presented the software
implementation of this algorithm proves that the
accurate diagnosis is always satisfactory utilizing this
detection logic. The large variety of ECG feature
extraction algorithms and the continuous efforts for
their enhancement proves that universally acceptable
solution has not been found yet. In this study,
emphasizing on wavelet thresholding, relevant noise
removal and utilization of simple detection logic for
the ECG characteristics detection is present. A robust
and efficient tool for fast, less complex practical
software is also provided that can be interfaced
efficiently with commercial ECG machines. The
complete verification of the proposed software can
lead a massive utilization in even rural areas where the
presence of the physicians is not so available.[11]
Bhushan N. Patil,[2014], present a real-time on-chip
ECG signal processing system is designed. The
proposed design includes an analog ECG acquisition
front-end and a digital QRS peak detection module.
The QRS peak detection scheme is based on the four-
scale wavelet transform algorithm, and can achieve
accurate QRS peak detection performance using multi-
scale wavelet based denoising procedure. The result
show that by using wavelet transform, the proposed
ECG signal processing system consumes ultra low
power and small silicon area, and thus is extremely
suitable for long term cardiovascular monitoring
WBAN applications.[12]

Prerana N Gawale1, A N Cheeran2, Nidhi G Sharma3
M. Tech. Student, Electronics and
Telecommunication, VJTI, Mumbai, Maharashtra,
[2014], develop a prototype android ECG application
that works with existing ECG acquisition device. The
application will be used for the realization of ECG
data signals that are sent from the ECG acquisition
device via Bluetooth communication, calculate heart
rate and plot it on android mobile phone, and also send
this information to the concerned physician through
server. We have tested this application in real time by
collecting the ECG from the patient in stationary as
well as moving conditions. In both situations the
application fulfills requirements of the proposed
system. The Electrocardiogram (ECG) is an important
tool to interpret a wide range of heart conditions. Early
warning and patient awareness are critical in
preventing permanent heart damage and saving much
of the heart muscles. These critical conditions
motivated us to propose an application that shows
promise for long term ambulant ECG monitoring.[13]
Luca Catarinucci, Danilo De Donno, Luca Mainetti,
Luca Palano, Luigi Patrono, Maria Laura
Stefanizzi, and Luciano Tarricone, [2015], proposes a
novel, IoTaware, smart architecture for automatic
monitoring and tracking of patients, personnel, and
biomedical devices within hospitals and nursing
institutes. Staying true to the IoT vision, we propose a
Smart Hospital System (SHS) which relies on
different, yet complementary, technologies,
specifically RFID, WSN, and smart mobile,
interoperating with each other through a
CoAP/6LoWPAN/REST network infrastructure. The
SHS is able to collect, in real time, both environmental
conditions and patients’ physiological parameters via
an ultra-low-power Hybrid Sensing Network (HSN)
composed of 6LoWPAN nodes integrating UHF RFID
functionalities. Sensed data are delivered to a control
center where an advanced monitoring application
makes them easily accessible by both local and remote
users via a REST web service. The simple proof of
concept implemented to validate the proposed SHS
has highlighted a number of key capabilities and
aspects of novelty which represent a significant step
forward compared to the actual state of art.[14]
Sudip Deb, Sheikh Md. Rabiul Islam, Jannatul
RobaiatMou,Md. Tariqul Islam [2017], proposes a low
cost portable ECG wireless system and feature
extraction and cardiovascular disease detection
algorithm. The system design consists of a portable
ECG signal generator circuit, a data transfer device
and a smart device. Someone can easily check the
possibility of any heart disease using this system. The
advantages of this system could be useful before,
during, and after a cardiac arrest for real time
monitoring of a patient at any place. It could also
reduce death due to heart attack and other
cardiovascular diseases and more specifically
providing health service by specialized doctors, to
rural areas. This proposed research is more beneficial
for health security with low cost.[15]
Udit Satija, Student Member, IEEE, Barathram.
Ramkumar, and M. Sabarimalai Manikandan,
Member, IEEE [2017], propose a novel signal quality
aware IoT-enabled ECG telemetry system for
continuous cardiac health monitoring applications. The
proposed quality-aware ECG monitoring system
consists of three modules: ECG signal sensing
module; automated signal quality assessment module;
and signal-quality aware ECG analysis and
transmission module. The proposed framework is
tested and validated using the ECG signals
taken from the MIT-BIH arrhythmia and Physionet
Challenge databases and the real-time recorded ECG
signals under different physical activities. This study
further shows that the transmission of acceptable
quality of ECG signals can significantly improve the
battery lifetime of IoT-enabled devices. Also, the
result show that, there is SQA method and IoT
framework is used. This method is highly demand
robust methods for accurate and reliable detection and
measurement of morphological and RR interval
features from noise-free and noisy ECG signals. So, it
gives the quality of ECG signal and noise free ECG,
accuracy and robustness of QRS complex detection.
[16]
R.Harini1, B. Rama Murthy2 , K.Tanveer Alam,
[2017], The purpose of the present study is to use
handheld tele-electrocardiogram (ECG) to identify
heart condition in the rural underserved population
where the doctor-patient ratio is low and access to
health care is difficult. The objective of the study was
clinical validation of handheld ECG as a screening
tool for evaluation of cardiac diseases in the rural
population. The proposed system for the
electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring controlled by the
Arduino UNO microcontroller and implemented in the
form of android app application. This proposed system
presents the implementation of patient ECG
monitoring and real time feedback mechanism in
Smartphone. The result show that by using Arduino
IDE the information can be used to monitor the patient

in real time to get sensitive data in order to be
subsequently analysed for medical diagnosis data can
sent to the cloud in order to perform or visualized in
real time by sending the data directly to a laotop or
smart phones and android application have been
designed in order to easily see the patient
information.[17]
III. CONCLUSION
After going to various literature reviews in regards of
different techniques for Real time ECG system. It has
been understood that IoT framework based real time
ECG Monitoring produced results with less
complexity, and less power consumption, so to
improve the results by using digital filter. Real time
ECG monitoring system with FIR Filter provides the
enhanced results with more accuracy in SNR and de-
noising the base line wonder drift. Further various
scopes on the real time ECG monitoring system for the
signal quality assessment for IoT framework based on
the implementation on FPGA. Also, this system
presents the implementation of patient ECG
monitoring and real time feedback mechanism in
smart phones. So, the SQA method and IoT
framework is found to be best algorithm for real time
ECG monitoring. Hence, signal quality aware
paradigm is a promising technological solution for the
IoT that has great potential significantly improve the
resource utilization efficiency and improve the
accuracy and reliability of unsupervised cardiac health
monitoring and diagnostic system. Therefore, this
method is more applicable in various applications of
ECG monitoring. And further it can be implemented
on hardware platform in optimized manner. The work
of various researchers is narrated in brief. Use of
optimization technique using FPGA platform will
improve the quality and processing time.
IV. REFERENCES
1) Yongming Yang I, Xiaobo Huang 1, Xinghuo Yu,
“Real-Time ECG Monitoring System Based on
FPGA ”, The 33rd Annual Conference of the IEEE
Industrial Electronics Society (IECON) Nov. 5-8,
2007.
2) Borromeo S, Rodriguez-Sanchez C, Machado F,
Hernandez-Tamames JA, de la Prieta R. “A
Reconfigurable, Wearable, Wireless ECG System ”,
the 29th Annual International Conference of the
IEEE EMBS Cité Internationale, Lyon, France
August 23-26, 2007.
3) Brian A. Walker#, Ahsan H. Khandoker#, and Jim
Black, “Low Cost ECG Monitor for Developing
Countries” , 2009
4) ndrej Krejcar, Dalibor Janckulik, Leona Motalova,
Karel Musi, “Real Time Processing of ECG Signal
on Mobile Embedded Monitoring Stations ”,
Second International Conference on Computer
Engineering and Applications, 2010.
5) Ankit J. Gordhandas and Thomas Heldt and George
C. Verghese, “Real-Time Extraction and Analysis
of Key Morphological Features in the
Electrocardiogram, for Data Compression and
Clinical Decision Support”, AAAI 2011.
6) Abhilasha M. Patel, Pankaj K. Gakare, A. N.
Cheeran, “Real Time ECG Feature Extraction and
Arrhythmia Detection on a Mobile Platform”,
International Journal of Computer Applications
(0975 – 8887) Volume 44– No.23, April 2012
7) Sonal K. Jagtap, Research Student, “A Real Time
Approach: ECG Noise Reduction in Chebyshev
Type II Digital Filter ”, International Journal of
Computer Applications (0975 – 8887) Volume 49–
No.9, July 2012.
8) Sayanti Chattopadhyay1, Susmita Das2, Avishek
Nag3, Jayanta Kumar Ray4, Soumyendu
Bhattacharjee5, Dr. Biswarup Neogi, “Design and
Simulation Approach Introduced to ECG Peak
Detection with Study on Different Cardiovascular
Diseases”, December 2012.
9) Masudul Haider Imtiaz & Md. Adnan Kiber,
“Design and Implementation of a Real-Time
Automated ECG
Diagnosis (AED) System”, 2013
10) Bhushan N. Patil, “A Review of ECG Monitoring
System Using Wavelet Transform” International
Journal of Research in Advent Technology, Vol.2,
No.4, April 2014.
11) Prerana N Gawale1, A N Cheeran2, Nidhi G
Sharma, “Android Application for Ambulant ECG
Monitoring ”, International Journal of Advanced
Research in Computer and Communication
Engineering
Vol. 3, Issue 5, May 2014.
12) Luca Catarinucci, Danilo De Donno, Luca Mainetti,
Luca Palano, Luigi Patrono, Maria Laura
Stefanizzi, and Luciano Tarricone, “An IoT-Aware
Architecture for Smart Healthcare Systems ”, IEEE
Internet of Things Journal, DOI
10.1109/JIOT.2015.

13) Sudip Deb, Sheikh Md. Rabiul Islam, Jannatul
RobaiatMou,Md. Tariqul Islam,” Design and
Implementation of Low Cost ECG Monitoring
System for the Patient using Smart Device”, ,
February 16-18, 2017 Feb 2017.
14) Udit Satija, Student Member, IEEE,
Barathram.Ramkumar, and M. Sabarimalai
Manikandan, Member, IEEE “Real-Time Signal
Quality-Aware ECG Telemetry System for IoT-
Based Health Care Monitoring” IEEE Internet of
Things Journal , DOI 10.1109/JIOT.2017.
15) R.Harini1, B. Rama Murthy2 , K.Tanveer Alam,
“DEVELOPMENT OF ECG MONITORING
SYSTEM USING ANDROID APP ”, March 2017.

Real time ECG Monitoring: A Review

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