A microprocessor-based data acquisition and processing system for studying the kinematics of labor

The design, development and preliminary evaluation of a microprocessor-based data acquisition and processing system which continuously and simultaneously acquires signals of fetal heart rate, intrauterine pressure, uterine cervical dilatation and variables for calculation of spatial position or pathway of fetal descent are presented. The project consists of four phases: 1) Design and fabrication of the data acquisition system; 2) Development of signal processing and pattern recognition techniques using a PDP-11/45 based signal processing system; 3) Transfer of algorithms produced in phase 2) to the microprocessor-based data acquisition system; and 4) Long term physiological study of acquired data directed toward obtaining more conclusive diagnostic or clinical results. This paper reports the development of the first two phases.