I - Introduction:

This project is to design and build an ECG amplifier and QRS detector that can indicate heart beats.

It provides an opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in electronic design, implementation,

bread-boarding and problem solving.

The ECG Electrocardiography is the measurement of the electronic activity from the heart. The

bandwidth for a standard 12 lead clinical ECG is 0.05 Hz to 100 Hz. This signal can be used to

determine the hearts problem, such as arrhythmias. Besides that, ECG is also used in other

environments where there is a lower requirement for quality, for example in monitoring

applications. In such situations, a smaller bandwidth such as 0.5 Hz to 50 Hz can be used. The

quality of the waveform is not as high, but the total noise is reduced. For example, in the

cardiotachometer application, the heart rate is more desirable than the detailed electrical waveforms.

A simple band-pass filter centered on 17 Hz with a Q factor of around 3-4 maximizes the signal-to -

noise ratio for detecting the QRS complex, the essential element in counting heart beats. The

waveform is distorted by this filter, so the signal does not appear as a clinical ECG signal.

A typical ECG signal has peak amplitude around 1 mV, so a typical ECG amplifier will have a gain

around 1000 to bring the signal to the 1 V range.

In this project, there are 6 stages:

1 - Differential amplifier.

2 - ECG filter.

3 - QRS filter.

4 - Threshold detector.

5 - LED driver.

6 - Final testing and documentation.

 We will work with some supporting devices and software:

- Elvis II+

- Breadboard

- Electronic components and wires

- ECG simulator

II - Process:

Fig 1: The power supply signal on the oscilloscope

2.1 - The differential amplifier:

This stage aim to take the weak, small signal provided by the electrodes and produce strong, larger

signal, so it needs to meet the specifications:

- High input impedance (> 1 MOhm)

- Low output impedance (< 10 Ohm)

- High common-mode rejection ratio (> 80 dB)

The amplifiers combination with the ECG filter in stage should bring the ECG signal from mV up

to Volt (the gain should be approximately 1000).

We build the first half of differential amplifier

Fig 2: The first half of differential amplifier

We can determine the gain of the amplifier:

From the above fig, we have:

11 11
1 = +
5 5

11 11
2 = +
5 5
 Fig 3: The second half of the differential amplifier

47
From the diagram of the amplifier, we have: 3 = (2 1 ) 10

47 22
3 = ( ) 10 (1 + )
5

Now we establish the circuit on the breadboard:

Firstly, we need to supply power for the Breadboard in order to use in processing the circuit:

From the simulation board, we supply the positive power (+9V) to the Supply +, the negative

power (-9V) to the Supply -, and the Ground to the Ground

 Fig 4: The differential amplifier on the board

In the Elvis II+, we open Arbitrary Waveform Generator to provide the input signal for the

circuit at AO 0 on the breadboard.

The input signal has the similar properties with the heartbeat signal in that the signal amplitude is
1 1
6.38 mV and the input signal frequency is = = 700 = 1.428
 Fig 5: The power supply and input signal

On the board, we supply the signal to , and connect with the Ground. So = 6.38 and

= 0. Hence we can calculate the gain of the amplifier:

47 22 47 22
3 = ( ) 10 (1 + ) = 10 (1 + )
5 5

47 22
3 = 10 (1 + 5 ) = 25.38

Then we tested the value of V3 using oscilloscope:

 Fig 6: The input and output signals of differential amplifier

The green line is the input signal, and the blue line is the output signal of the amplifier. We could

see that the input and the output signals were unstable and changed together and the gain was

(-14.631)/0.2108 = -114.2 < (- 25.38). Therefore we firstly double checked the input signal and the

problem could be the wires which connected to ground or input signal.

Our guess was correct, the ground wire was not good connected, and after reconnected, we have

stable input and output signals as shown in fig 7:

Fig 7: The input and output signals of differential amplifier (after reconnecting)

From the fig 7,the gain of V3 was about -170.29/6.38 = -26.7, it was quite similar the theoretical

gain.

2.2 ECG Filter

Now we continue building up the ECG filter. The average heart rate of a person is around 1.1Hz (in

this experiment, we use 1.428Hz), and the signal level is very weak thus to avoid interferences from

other signals, we need a band-pass filter. The desired range is 0.05-100 Hz. Hence we can build the

circuit like the below fig:

 Fig 8: The ECG Filter

We connect the circuit on the board:

Fig 9: The differential amplifier and the ECG filter

For the high-pass filter: C = 1 F, R = 3.3 M

1
The cut-off frequency is: 2 = 0.048

For the low-pass filter: C = 0.01 F, R = 150 k

1
The cut-off frequency is: 2 = 106.103

The R10 = 3.3 M connected to the inverting input of the Op-Amp for keeping the balance and

symmetry.

From the fig 9, we can derive the equation to calculate the gain of the circuit. For C component, we
1 1
derive it into = =

We have the input signal frequency = 1.428 = 2 = 8.97 /

Then we can calculate the gain of the filter:

4 150
= (1 + ) = 32.9 ~ 33
3 4.7

= 3 4 = 25.3833 = 837.54
3

We tested the gain by using oscilloscope:

.
 Fig 10: The output after differential amplifier and ECG filter

The gain = -5.286/ 0.00658 = - 803, it was quite similar to the gain calculated.

In conclusion, after going through the amplifier and the filter, the signal level is multiplied by:

Approximate with the required gain (1000)

2.3 - The QRS filter:

In this stage, we aim to detect the QRS complex signal in that the QRS complex signal will give a

high output when the QRS complex occurs while the other signal will be the low signal.

Communication systems theory says that the best filter to look for a particular waveform has an

impulse response that matches the target waveform. A QRS complex looks like a brief burst of a

high frequency sinusoid, so a high-Q band-pass filter centred on 17 Hz is an appropriate choice.

 Fig 11: The QRS filter

From the circuit, we have the cut-off frequency range is: 15.91Hz - 22.67Hz

In this stage, we do not aim to make the signal higher qualified. We just want to determine when the

QRS-complex occurs, so we will not calculate the gain of this circuit.

Now, we can connect the components on the board and use oscilloscope to get the QRS-complex

signal.
Fig 12: The QRS filter
 Fig 13: The QRS signal (blue line)

2.5 - Threshold detector:

When connect the electrodes to body to get the heart beat signal, if the electrodes are connected

wrongly, the signal will be upside down. We should use a full-wave rectifier to ensure that the high

response from QRS filter to the QRA complex will be a positive going peak. This must be

compared with a threshold to decide when the QRS complex occurs.

The best threshold will have the fixed size with the desired signal size. Hence having a simple way

to adjust the threshold while the circuit is running is important.

 Fig 14: The threshold detector

Fig 15: The Comparator on the board

When running the circuit, we change the value of the potentiometer until we get one impulse at the

QRS signal. We can check this on the oscilloscope.

 Fig 16: The output signal of the threshold detector circuit

2.6 - LED driver:

Fig 17: LED driver circuit
 Fig 18: The LED driver

In this stage, we design a circuit of a flashing light that is consistent in length and brightness. The

output from the threshold detector is likely to be of consistent amplitude, but not consistent in

length. A circuit that produces a consistent amplitude and length pulse is required. Finally, driving

a led requires sufficient current, but not too much. So circuitry to control the current output from the

mono-stable is required.

We use the Timer IC 555 (fig 21) to build this circuit.

As the result, when the QRS complex occurs, the LED will flash.

2.6 Final testing

2.6.1 - Using the ECG waveform simulator - ECG 300:

We disconnect the input signal supply (VA and VB) from the circuit.

Connect the black plug to Ground; The red plug to VA and The yellow plug to VB.

On the ECG 300 device, there are many level of ECG signal. We turn the rotating button to

different level to check respectively.

Fig 19: 60BPM

At the level 60BPM (60 beats per minute), the device will provide a signal of heart beat in that there

are 60 beats in one minute, that means there will be 1 beat every second. From the fig 19, with the

time divider of 200 milisec/divider, we can see that the circuit can meet the requirement.

Similarly, we check the different level of the ECG 300, and it is obvious that the circuit gives the

results satisfying the requirement of the device.

 Fig 20: 120BPM

Fig 21: 180BPM

2.6.2 - Final test:

In this stage, we will use the experiment circuit to check heart beat on body.
Turn off the ELVIS and remove all connections (power and USB). Connect to 9V batteries to your

circuit.

Fig 27: Use batteries to supply power to the circuit

Place the red dot on your body: one on left hand, one on right hand and the other on your leg.

Then connect to the circuit to check the LED flashing with the heart beat.

III - Conclusion:

After the experiment, I gained experience and knowledge in electronic design, implementation,

bread-boarding and problem solving. Now I understand the ECG circuit more clearly. This

experiment helps me to apply the filters to the real circuit, as well as the combination of them to

satisfy the requirement of the circuit.