Design of an Acquisition System for bioelectric
signals (heart) using an embedded system in FPGA
platform.
R. Soto-Camacho, M. A. Vargas, S. Vergara, F.
Reyes, A. Palomino.
Facultad de Ciencias de la Electrnica, Grupo de
robtica, Maestra en Ciencias de la Electrnica opcin
Automatizacin
Benemrita Universidad Autnoma de Puebla, Av. San
Claudio y 18 Sur S/N C.U., Edificio 109A, C.P. 72570,
Puebla Pue., Mxico
mrabi@ece.buap.mx, mavargas@ece.buap.mx,
svergara@ece.buap.mx, recf62@gmail.com,
palomino@ece.buap.mx
Abstract: At present there are various measuring devices or
instruments that acquire the electrical activity of the heart (ECGs),
but make a proper measurement, models the signs are printed
directly on sheets of graph paper, unable to save the information for
later analysis. In this work we make the development of a bioelectric
signal acquisition, in this case focused on the signals emitted by the
heart to be acquired and stored on a computer. The system is based
on a card bioelectric signal acquisition developed in the Maestra en
Ciencias de la Electrnica de la Facultad de Ciencias de la
Electrnica en la BUAP called MIOCARD 1.0 [1]. This card has
already implemented a 2-channel electromyograph, and this paper
focuses on describing the design of a electrocardiography for the
acquisition of the 12 signals that can be obtained from the heart. The
card is based on a brand ALTERA FPGA family CycloneII
(EP2C8Q208C7) and communication to and from the computer via
the protocol is PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect).
Keywords: Electrocardiography, FPGA, data acquisition
system.
I. INTRODUCTION
Technology moves quickly and each time surprises us with
new design techniques and measurement. A device used by
the feature is the computer, which is constantly evolving, so
gradually increases in speed and storage capacity. The
development of computer controlled instruments is allowing
to automate processes characterization and measurement of
different systems used in various areas of knowledge.
In medicine there are different types of tools that are used as
auxiliary in the detection and treatment of certain diseases.
Although all people with some kind of illness should have the
same opportunities for diagnosis, treatment and evaluate their
improvement, this is not possible, because in the country
doesnt develop instruments to treat and diagnose this kind of
978-1-4799-4683-9/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE
M. Vargas
Escuela de Ciencias, Universidad Autnoma Benito
Jurez de Oaxaca, Ciudad Universitaria, Avenida
Universidad s/n, Ex Hacienda .Cinco Seores., Oaxaca
de Jurez, Oaxaca, Mxico, marcianoec@gmail.com
J. M. Rodrguez
Centro Nacional de Investigacin y Desarrollo
Tecnolgico Departamento de Ingeniera Mecnica
Tribologa Interior Internado Palmira s/n, Col. Palmira,
apartado Postal 5164 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mxico,
jmlelis@cenidet.edu.mx.
diseases; therefore have to be imported, which makes it more
difficult to purchase and greatly increases the price of this,
thus, many people may not have access to these instruments
usually have a very high price.
In this work we implement an electrocardiograph in a data
card acquisition with a PCI bus communication, which we use
for obtaining, recording, processing and analysis the heart
signals, ie signals type ECG (electrocardiogram) for the
purpose to provide the medical staff a useful tool for the
diagnosis of certain diseases or conditions.
II. DEVELOPMENT
A. Electrocardiography
Electrocardiography is the acquisition and analysis of
electrical signals from the heart to study and detection of
diseases related to cardiac abnormalities, for this we have that
signals are divided in 2 planes: frontal plane derivations and
horizontal plane derivations [2].
1) ECG signals
Cardiac signals are generated by the polarization and
depolarization of the heart muscle cells; this is due to ion
exchange in cells [3].
2.1 features of ECG signal
The main features of ECG signals are:
Espectrum 0 50 Hz.
Dominant energy 0 30 Hz.
The signal is affected by the offset.
Amplitude between 0 4 mV depending of the
explored region.
With the information that the heart provide us, we can
identify certain pathologies in the individual as are:
Arrhythmias
Cardiovascular Disease
cardiac insufficiencies
Embolism
Thrombosis
ECG signals vary from microvolts to 4 millivolts peak.
2) Method of measurement of ECG signals
To carry out the measurement of the ECG signal electrodes
are connected in an individual's body, which are placed on
the body along the plane configurations depending on what is
want to study, because there are two planes, horizontal plane
and the frontal plane.
a) Frontal plane derivations
The frontal plane derivations are bipolar derivations because
they detect electrical changes between two points affected by
the cardiac action potential and show its potential difference.
Frontal plane derivations are 6: DI, DII, and DIII are limb
derivations y aVL, aVF y aVR.
In aVR derivation, the electrode of right upper limb is the
positive, while the negative pole will be the union of the left
upper limb with lower limbs.
In aVL derivation, the electrode of left upper limb is the
positive, while the negative pole will be the union of the right
upper limb with lower limbs.
In aVF derivation, the electrode of left lower limb is the
positive, while the negative pole will be the union of upper
limbs with the right lower limb. [4].
D1: left arm (positive) minus right arm (negative), left leg
(ground).
D2: Left leg (positive) minus right arm (negative), left arm
(ground).
D3: Left leg (positive) minus left arm (negative), right arm
(ground) [5].
b) Horizontal plane derivations
They are too called precordial, they explore the electrical
activity in horizontal plane and are calle acording the
exploring electrode colocation. Precordial derivations are 6:
V1: 4th intercostal space, right sternal border.
V2: 4th intercostal space left sternal border.
V3: Intermediate point between V2 and V4.
V4: left 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line.
V5: 5th left intercostal space, anterior axillary line.
V6: 5th left intercostal space, mid-axillary line [5, 6].
B. Embedded System
A embedded system is a combination between hardware and
computer software, You can also add any mechanical piece or
another kind, is designed to perform a specific function.
Many times an embedded system is a component of a bigger
system, in our case the designed system is part of a bigger
system which raises its use for recording and analysis of
bioelectric signals, in our case the signals of the heart, but
also works as electromyography which is used to detect
electrical signals from the muscles. The system consists of an
acquisition card, a stage of amplification and filtering,
firmware for the control and data flow and software for
display on the computer.
C. Design of data acquisition system using embedded system
in fpga platform.
The acquisition system consists of the following parts: input
analog signal, which is preamplified and filtered because it is
on the order of 500microvolts to 4 milivolts peak. To digitize
this signal we use an analog-digital converter (ADC) with a
resolution of 10 bits within a microcontroller (16f877A). As
the process of acquisition and control data flow is high
because this card as already explained has implemented a two
channels electromyography apart from this
electrocardiograph, an FPGA of the ALTERA brand of
family CycloneII (EP2C8Q208C7) is used for these
processes. Therefore a strategy of communication between
the microcontroller and the FPGA was performed
bidirectional. Within the FPGA to store the information and
do not miss a FIFO (First Input-Output First) memory is used
for that in the future these data reproduce the signal and
displayed on the computer. Finally we have the PCI protocol
that is responsible for communicating to the computer with
the acquisition card and also to display the information.
Figure 1 shows the general block diagram.
 Figure 1 General block diagram.

performs the function of ADC (analog - digital), to sample

D. Design of the amplification and filtering stages.
the information obtained by the electrodes. The miocard card
The amplification and filtering stage is very important has a Cyclone II FPGA to communicate with the PC through
because the ECG signals are very small its range is 500 the PCI port [1, 12].
millivolts microvolts to 4 maximum. The signal interference
is mainly caused by the AC line, for improperly fixed
electrodes and other factors, with the interference of the AC
line that stands between them, and consequently, the
elimination of their effects is very importance. In figure 2 the
block diagram is shown [7, 8, 9].

Figure 3. Acquisition data card MIOCARD

1. Analog channels with LEMO connectors for

Figure 2. Block diagram of amplification al filtering stage. signal acquisition.
2. PIC16F877A microcontroller that performs
It is necessary to use a high pass filter to remove the offset analog - digital conversion.
because this signal can interfere with our signal, too a 3. Test pins.
lowpass filter is used to delete the interference by noise line, 4. PCI connection.
an inverting amplifier is used to reverse the amplified signal,
5. Cyclone II FPGA. Control and data flow and PCI
this is with the purpose that upon entering the adder inverter
communication.
amplifier the resultant signal signal is our amplified heart
The card has the following features:
signal without interference noise. The adder inverter amplifier
Allows the capture, recording and analysis of until
stage is to apply an offset of 1.5 volts to our signal because
four bioelectrical signals.
digitization stage which comprises the microcontroller does
In the four analog channels the signal can be
not accept negative voltages, by adding the offset ensure that
sampled at 40 kmps. When using two or more at the
our signal is in positive voltage.
same time the sum of the frequencies in these
E. Acquisition card channels can not exceed 40 kmps.
Regarding the communication part of the pc has a data Signal processing by software [10].
acquisition card called miocard 1.0 developed in the thesis
[10], which has a PIC16F877A [11] microcontroller that
F. Firmware and software a signal, this signal is plotted on the PC and saved for later
analysis.
For programming of firmware the Quartus II software and III. RESULTS
Altera FPGA Cyclone II EP2C8Q208C7 are used. The PCI
bus is used as a pathway of communication between the To obtain signals from the frontal and horizontal plane be
computer and the data acquisition card which code is carried out processing the signal characteristics of a real
generated in Quartus II for reading and writing data [12]. electrocardiogram by Labview [13] and the values for
bandwidth and the frequency of the signals were obtained as
shown in Table 1next:
Derivations Bandwidth Frequency

DI 22 Hz 1.41 Hz

DII 24 Hz 1.41 Hz

DIII 20 Hz 1.41 Hz

aVR 21 Hz 1.41 Hz

aVF 26 Hz 1.41 Hz

Figure 4. General diagram of the Firmware

aVL 28Hz 1.46 Hz

With these blocks is carried out the control of ECG signals to V1 30 Hz 1.43 Hz
be displayed as well as sending these through the PCI bus to
computer to be viewed.
V2 28 Hz 1.41 Hz
To display the signal in the computer a software virtual
instrumentation will be used, in this case LabVIEW which is V3 25 Hz 1.46 Hz
used to obtain the electrical signal of the heart by the PCI
protocol [10].
V4 30 Hz 1.41Hz

V5 29 Hz 1.41 Hz

V6 28 Hz 1.46 Hz

TABLE I. BANDWIDTH AND THE FREQUENCY OF THE

ELECTRICAL SIGNALS.

The electrodes were connected on the body of a person

Figure 5. Software to obtain bioelectric signals.
This software works to obtain bioelectric signals, has a button
sampling which allows us to decide when we want to display
following settings for derivations of frontal and horizontal
plane thus the 12 signs of the heart were obtained on the
oscilloscope because the existing software will be changed to
display the ECG signals on the computer. In Figures 6 and 7
show the results obtained.
 Figure 6. Frontal plane derivations. (a)DI, (b)DII, (c)DIII, (d) aVR, (e) aVL, (f) aVF
Figure 7. Horizontal plane derivations. (a) V1, (b) V2, (c) V3, (d) V4, (e) V5, (f) V6
Further we begin with the visualization of the first signal on
the computer; the signal visualized was the DII (figure 8).
Figure 8. DII derivation on the computer.
Until now only been able to display a signal on the computer
since it has the disadvantage that the voltage ranges of the
signals are different so that work on the necessary
adjustments to the amplification step in order to have the 12
signs an acceptable voltage range for the FPGA to be sent to
the computer.
IV. ELECTROMIOGRAPH
The developed system is part of a larger system whose
purpose is to visualizer the bioelectric signals, in our case the
system is already functioning as electromyography, was
developed in this thesis [1].
A. Electromiography
Electromyography is the acquisition, recording and analyzing
the electrical activity generated in nerves and muscles
through the use of electrodes. Contraction generates electrical
activity which can be measured by electrodes attached to the
skin surface near the muscle group of interest.
1) Features of EMG signals
Important characteristics of EMG signals are:
 Spectrum of importance 0-500 Hz
Dominant Energy 50-150 Hz
The signal is affected by line noise (60 Hz).
Amplitude between 0-6 mV peak and 0 - 1.5 mV
rms.
Because the myoelectric signal is very small an
amplification and filtering system is used, besides the
acquisition card is used whose features already were
mentioned. A firmware in Quartus II and software in
Labview were developed for signal processing and
display on the computer. Next we have the block
diagram of amplification and filtering system.
Figure 9. Block diagram of the stage of amplification and filtering of the
electromyography.
Figure 12. EMG signal on the computer.
V. CONCLUSIONS
As can be seen this work consists of several stages which are
being perfected to optimize the acquisition of the signals
using the computer with the purpose to make a comfortable
and easy to use user interface.
The system is part of a larger system which as mentioned has
implemented an electromyography.
With the development of electromyography and
electrocardiogram within a system has a purpose to provide a
reliable and easy to use tool for the study of bioelectric
signals. Also provides a contribution to the science and
technology community in the country.
VI. REFERENCES
[1] Celia Martinez Chias, Sergio Vergara, Sistema de adquisicin de datos
para evaluar la mejora de pacientes con discapacidad motriz bajo tratamiento
de rehabilitacin, CIINDET 2011.
With the amplification and filtering system, the firmware
developed in Quartus II and the software Labview together
the acquisition card the EMG signal was obtained as is shown
in figures 10, 11 and 12.
Figure 10. EMG signal obtained on an oscilloscope
Figure 11. Signal changes during muscle contraction.
[2] C. Castellano, M. A. Prez de Juan, F. Attie, Electrocardiografa Clnica,
Segunda Edicin, Editorial Elsevier. 2004.
[3] J. M. Ferrero Corral, Bioelectrnica: Seales Bioelctricas, Edit.
Universidad Politcnica de Valencia. 1994.
[4] G. Franco Salazar, Manual de Electrocardiografa y
Electroencefalografa, Editorial Manuel Moderno. 2007.
[5] A. Andrs Morist, P. L. Alberbe Zabaleta, Atlas de Electrocardiografa,
Primera Edicin, Editorial Osaldetza. 2008.
[6] J. G. Webster, Medical Instrumentation and Application Design, Editorial
John Wiley and Sons, Cuarta Edicin. 2009.
[7] Analog Device, AD8221; U.S.A, 2010 [Consulta 10 de octubre del 2012],
Disponible:
http://html.alldatasheet.com/htmlpdf/406111/AD/AD8221/23/1/AD8221.htm
l
[8] STMicroelectronics, TL084; Italy, 2001 [Consulta 5 de febrero de 2013],
Disponible:
http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/stmicroelectronics/2301.pdf
[9] J.J. Gonzlez de la Rosa, Circuitos electrnicos con amplificadores
operacionales, Marcombo, 1ra. Edicin, 2001.
[10] Celia del Carmen Martnez Chias, Sistema de Adquisicin de Datos
para el Registro de Seales Bioelctricas, tesis de maestra, Benemrita
Universidad Autnoma de Puebla, 2012.
[11] Microchip, PIC16F877A; EE.UU.2010 [Consulta 8 de octubre del
2012], Disponible:
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/devicedoc/39582b.pdf
[12] Manual del FPGA EP2C8Q208C7, [Fecha de consulta: 9 de octubre
2012] Disponible: http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/cyc2/cyc2_cii5v1.pdf
[13] J. R. Lajara Vizcaino/J. Pelegri Sebasti LabVIEW entorno grfico de
programacin, Alfaomega, 2da edicin, agosto 2011