Medical Signals
The primary goal of the MediSig - Medical Signals department is the use of the last achievement of the technology in medicine for basic research and for effective treatment. We try to find the optimal targeted link between high level measurements, measurement protocols, methods of analysis and diagnostic and physiological contribution. In our opinion, the data acquisition and technologies, which carry additional information, is absolutely crucial.
The MediSig department structure includes the engineers, who carry out the development of new technologies, provide experiments, design and test new methods and interpret the results. An important part of our team is made up of students in doctoral study programs.
MediSig has dealt with measurement and signal processing in medicine for a long time. Twenty years ago, we began a widespread close cooperation with medical workplaces and universities. This cooperation is absolutely crucial to meet our objectives.
MediSig team research areas
Heart electrophysiology – electrocardiography (ECG)
Cardiac electrical activity measured by electrocardiogram (ECG) involves two important phases – depolarization represented by QRS complex and repolarization represented by T wave and QT interval. Depolarization is associated with the initiation of myocardial contraction during systole, repolarization with the refractory phase of myocardial cells. Malfunction of these two phases can lead to heart failure or sudden cardiac death. MediSig team focuses on studying the static and dynamic properties of heart depolarization and repolarization.
Deep brain electrophysiology (EEG)
MediSig main goal in the neurology program is to design and verify new methods for identification of epileptic sources within the brain as clinical outcome and the establishment of functional links between brain structures as a basic research outcome. We analyze high frequency and dynamic range EEG records with depth brain electrodes in epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease patients.
- High-Frequency-Oscillations (HFOs) - epileptic sources localization
- Experimental neurophysiology - basic research
Blood circulation and hemodynamic control
MediSig activities focused on blood circulation and hemodynamic system properties include measurement and computation of the following parameters: blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume (SV) and arterial compliance (pulse wave velocity) during various hemodynamic excitations – rest, tilt table, paced breathing and exercise. While heart rate and blood pressure can be measured relatively easily, measurement of SV and arterial compliance is complicated and inaccurate. To measure arterial properties we developed multichannel whole-body impedance monitor (MPM).
MediSig software team activities
Software team of MediSig department develops software for signal inspection, post-processing and analysis. We are focused on CPU/GPU multithread applications. Our most important software is:
- SignalPlant (https://signalplant.codeplex.com): interactive signal analysis
- PulsWave (www.medisig.com): real-time processing of pulse wave velocity
- ViziProbe (https://viziprobe.codeplex.com): visualization of deep-brain EEG signals
- UHF Solver/Dyssynchrony Meter: ventricular dyssynchrony analysis