Real-time processing of multiple-lead exercise electrocardiograms

A system for continuous recording and real-time processing of eight-channel exercise ECGs is presented with emphasis on the algorithms performing the principal signal processing. The hardware and the operational procedures are briefly described. New methods have been developed for the detection, alignment, and selection of complexes to be used in the creation of eight-dimensional average ECG complexes every 10 s. These algorithms are based on digital filter functions approximating low-order Legendre polynomials in order to be robust in the presence of noise.