Detection of artifacts in bioelectric signals
First Claim
1. A method for detecting artifact in a bioelectric signal, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying an AC excitation signal through a signal path formed between two electrodes of a first electrode set attached to a subject'"'"'s skin surface in a measurement area of the subject'"'"'s body;
measuring an impedance signal through a second electrode set attached to the subject'"'"'s skin surface in the measurement area, the impedance signal being indicative of the impedance of the signal path;
acquiring a bioelectric signal through a third electrode set attached to the subject'"'"'s skin surface in the measurement area, the acquiring step being performed simultaneously with the measuring step;
determining at least one first time period during which the impedance signal fulfills at least one predetermined criterion; and
based on the at least one first time period, defining at least one artifact-contaminated time period of the bioelectric signal.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting artifacts in a bioelectric signal, especially in a frontal EEG signal. In order to accomplish an uncomplicated mechanism for detecting artifacts in clinical applications, an impedance signal is measured through a first electrode set attached to the skin surface in a measurement area of a patient'"'"'s body, the impedance signal being indicative of the impedance of the signal path formed between individual electrodes of the set. Simultaneously with the impedance measurement, a bioelectric signal is acquired through a second electrode set also attached to the skin surface of the measurement area, and the time periods are determined during which the impedance signal fulfills at least one predetermined criterion indicative of the presence of artifact in the bioelectric signal. In one embodiment, the first and second electrode sets are formed by a common set of two electrodes.
111 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for detecting artifact in a bioelectric signal, the method comprising the steps of:
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supplying an AC excitation signal through a signal path formed between two electrodes of a first electrode set attached to a subject'"'"'s skin surface in a measurement area of the subject'"'"'s body;
measuring an impedance signal through a second electrode set attached to the subject'"'"'s skin surface in the measurement area, the impedance signal being indicative of the impedance of the signal path;
acquiring a bioelectric signal through a third electrode set attached to the subject'"'"'s skin surface in the measurement area, the acquiring step being performed simultaneously with the measuring step;
determining at least one first time period during which the impedance signal fulfills at least one predetermined criterion; and
based on the at least one first time period, defining at least one artifact-contaminated time period of the bioelectric signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for detecting artifacts in a bioelectric signal, the apparatus comprising:
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signal generator means for supplying an AC excitation signal through a signal path formed between two electrodes of a first electrode set when said set is attached to a subject'"'"'s skin surface in a measurement area of the subject'"'"'s body;
impedance measurement means for measuring an impedance signal indicative of the impedance of the signal path, the impedance measurement means comprising a second electrode set connectable to the measurement area;
first biosignal measurement means for obtaining a bioelectric signal, the biosignal measurement means comprising a third electrode set connectable to the measurement area;
first artifact detection means for determining at least one first time period during which the impedance signal fulfills at least one predetermined criterion; and
second artifact detection means, responsive to the first artifact detection means, for defining at least one artifact-contaminated time period of the bioelectric signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for detecting artifacts in a bioelectric signal, the apparatus comprising:
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a signal generator configured to supply an AC excitation signal through a signal path formed between two electrodes of a first electrode set when said set is attached to a subject'"'"'s skin surface in a measurement area of the subject'"'"'s body;
a first measurement branch operatively connected to a second electrode set attachable to the measurement area, the first measurement branch being configured to measure an impedance signal indicative of the impedance of the signal path;
a second measurement branch operatively connected to a third electrode set attachable to the measurement area, the second measurement branch being configured to measure a bioelectric signal from the subject;
a first controller configured to determine at least one first time period during which the impedance signal fulfills at least one predetermined criterion; and
a second controller, responsive to the first controller, configured to define at least one artifact-contaminated time period of the bioelectric signal. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A computer program product for detecting artifacts in a bioelectric signal, the computer program product comprising:
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a first program code portion configured to receive an impedance signal indicative of the impedance of a signal path between two electrodes attached to a subject'"'"'s skin surface in a measurement area of the subject'"'"'s body;
a second program code portion configured to receive a bioelectric signal obtained through a set of electrodes attachable to the measurement area;
a third program code portion configured to determine at least one first time period during which the impedance signal fulfills at least one predetermined criterion; and
a fourth program code portion configured to define at least one artifact-contaminated time period of the bioelectric signal.
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Specification