Analysis and Synthesis of Electrocardiogram (ECG) using Fourier and Wavelet Transform

Abstract

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the study of the electrical signals of the human heart that are generated by the pumping action of the heart caused by the polarization and depolarization of the nodes of the heart. These signals must be interpreted with great accuracy and efficiency as they are paramount in prognosis and subsequent diagnosis of the condition of the patient. The goal of this project is to analyze the ECG signals following Fourier and Wavelet transforms, and to highlight and demonstrate the advantages of the Wavelet transform. Firstly, it involves simulating the temporal digital ECG signal and explaining the signal constituents, i.e., P, Q, R, S, T waves while staying in the time domain. Secondly, the ECG signal will be transferred into the frequency domain for quick, fast, and compressed analysis and carry out signal processing using Fourier analysis and highlight the pros and cons of this technique. Thirdly, wavelet analysis will be explored and demonstrated to mitigate the shortcoming of the former tool, i.e., Fourier. At this stage, various ECG signals, mimicking abnormalities, will be analyzed. This work will highlight the effectiveness of wavelet analysis as a tool to examine ECG signals. This work, hence, will entail, comparison of both transformation methods by utilizing the computational power of MATLAB.