Real-time compression of myoelectric data utilising adaptive differential pulse code modulation

The myoelectric signal, obtained by either surface or needle electrodes, is used in many areas of clinical research and diagnosis. The conventional method of storing such information is in digitised form on a computer. However, the bandwidth of the signal and the required resolution result in large memory requirements. Adaptive differential pulse code modulation is investigated as a method of reducing the memory requirements for myoelectric data storage. In this scheme, a 12-bit sample is reduced to four bits, thus reducing the memory requirements by a factor of three. In reality, this compression ratio is closer to 4:1 owing to the fact that the widths of most memories are organised as multiples of eight bits.