[An arrhythmia ECG analog signal generator using standard MIT-BIH arrhythmia database]

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Embedded Systems Design
• Medical Data Management

Context:

• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Bethesda Heart Institute (MIT-BIH) Arrhythmia Database is a critical resource for cardiac arrhythmia research and medical device validation.
• Testing medical diagnostic equipment requires reliable and controllable analog signal outputs that accurately represent physiological data.
• Efficient data storage and retrieval are essential for managing large biomedical datasets.

Purpose:

• To develop a system for generating an amplification-controllable analog output of cardiac arrhythmia data.
• To utilize the Microchip MSP430F149 microcontroller and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for precise signal generation.
• To facilitate convenient database management and replacement using Smart Media (SM) cards with a FAT format.

Summary:

• The Microchip MSP430F149 microcontroller was employed to control a DAC, enabling the generation of an analog output signal with adjustable amplification.
• This analog output accurately represents data from the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database, making it suitable for testing medical machines.
• Data from the arrhythmia database were stored on Smart Media (SM) cards using the FAT file system, simplifying database updates and system integration.

Impact:

• Provides a flexible and cost-effective solution for testing medical equipment that requires analog input signals.
• Enhances the usability of the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database for research and development in cardiac diagnostics.
• Demonstrates a practical application of embedded systems in medical device calibration and validation.