Active ECG Lead with Integrated Denoising Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ambulatory ECG monitoring devices face challenges in accurately interpreting signals due to in-band noise from EMG and other sources, leading to false positives, increased labor costs, and variability in data analysis, particularly in preclinical and clinical drug safety studies.
Innovation Solution
An active ECG sensing lead with an integrated denoising module that employs algorithms such as adaptive filtering, decomposition and thresholding, and multi-domain signal processing to remove in-band noise from ECG signals before recording, providing a denoised signal compatible with ambulatory monitoring devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard passive ECG leads are used for ambulatory monitoring, then the device complexity remains low, but in-band noise from EMG and other sources degrades signal quality and increases false positives
Solution Approach 1:
An active module is introduced as an intermediary component within the ECG lead system. This module contains signal processing circuitry that actively filters and conditions the ECG signal, removing in-band noise from EMG and other sources before the signal reaches the monitoring device, thereby improving signal quality without requiring changes to the monitoring device itself
Solution Approach 2:
The passive electrical connection is replaced with an active electronic system. Instead of relying solely on passive lead wiring, the invention incorporates active electronic components (amplifiers, filters, processors) within the lead assembly to actively manage and enhance the ECG signal, substituting passive mechanical/electrical transmission with active electronic processing
2Measurement precision
If noise filtering is applied to ECG signals, then measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The ECG lead system is segmented into distinct functional components: passive sensing electrodes, active signal processing module within the lead, and the monitoring device. This segmentation allows the complex noise filtering functionality to be isolated in a dedicated module, making the overall system more manageable and maintainable while improving measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
Noise filtering and signal conditioning are performed preliminarily within the ECG lead before the signal is transmitted to the monitoring device. By pre-processing the signal at the source, the monitoring device receives already-cleaned data, reducing its processing burden and improving overall measurement precision without requiring complex processing at the central device
3Reliability
If manual over-read of ECG results is performed to screen false positives, then diagnostic accuracy improves, but labor costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary noise filtering and signal conditioning within the ECG lead itself, preparing clean, high-quality ECG signals before transmission. This preliminary processing reduces the number of false positives that require manual review, thereby maintaining diagnostic accuracy while reducing the time and labor required for manual over-read of results
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments are directed to signal processing. In accordance with example embodiments, methods and apparatuses involve using at least two electrodes that sense an ECG signal. A denoising module is communicatively coupled to the at least two electrodes, and receives the ECG signal sensed by the sensing electrodes. The denoising module includes circuitry that conditions and digitizes the ECG signal, and a computing circuit that processes the digitized ECG signal to denoise the ECG signal. A communications circuit generates a communication including the denoised ECG signal for access by a remote device.