A Real-Time Heart Rate Signal Detection using an Electronic Stethoscope with Labview

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Cardiology

Background:

• Accurate stethoscope measurements are crucial for early heart problem diagnosis and patient monitoring.
• Conventional stethoscopes have limitations in providing precise real-time data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an electronic stethoscope for automatic real-time heart rate (Beats Per Minute - BPM) identification.
• To design and implement a low-cost electronic stethoscope as an alternative to conventional devices.

Main Methods:

• A low-cost electronic stethoscope was designed, incorporating a preamplifier, filters, microcontroller, and Bluetooth.
• Signal conditioning involved amplification (10-30x) and filtering using fourth-order Butterworth filters (cutoffs at 50 Hz and 180 Hz).
• Simulation and experimental studies were conducted to test the electronic circuit design and real-time performance.

Main Results:

• The fourth-order Butterworth filter demonstrated optimal performance.
• Real-time BPM measurements showed minimal difference (2-5%) compared to manual measurements.
• The system exhibited a slight delay of 1.7 to 2 seconds in measurements.

Conclusions:

• The developed electronic stethoscope system provides suitable information for BPM values.
• The system can effectively display heart sound signals, aiding in clinical data acquisition.
• This low-cost electronic stethoscope presents a promising tool for improved cardiac diagnostics and monitoring.