Microcomputer-based simulator of the 12-lead electrocardiogram

The authors have developed a 12-lead simulator which can be used as a standard signal generator for testing ECG (electrocardiogram) analysis systems. The simulated waveforms, which are based on the Minnesota codes, are realistic-looking ECGs. With this simulator it is possible to choose from any one of about 100 Minnesota codes. Through an interactive interface, one can set the heart rate (20 to 300 beat/min) and baseline drift (0 to 0.5 mV/s) and add random noise or 60-Hz interference (ratio of noise to signal: 0 to 1). Since most of the samples for coding are from typical clinical ECG findings, the simulated 12-lead ECGs not only meet the Minnesota code criteria, but also mimic clinical ECGs very well. It is possible to display all twelve leads on the screen, each six seconds long, or to direct the analog signals of any two selected leads through the output of a D/A (digital-to-analog) converter interface card at sampling speeds from 100 to 500 sample/s in steps of 100 sample/s. By using special procedures for floating-point operations and interpolation of data points, the simulation of a 12-lead ECG is almost instantaneous.<>