Biomedical Signal
Processing (19ECE455)
Dr Gayathri R Prabhu
Understanding Biomedical
signals
• Origin
• Characteristics
Human body as a system
• Living organisms are made up of many component systems
o Cardiac system - rhythmic pumping of blood throughout the body
o Circulatory System - Transports blood, nutrients, gases, and waste
products
o Nervous System: Controls and coordinates bodily functions
o Musculoskeletal System: Provides structure, support, and movement
through bones, muscles, and joints
o Digestive System: Breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and eliminates
waste
o Endocrine System: Regulates bodily functions through hormones. Key
glands include the thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas
Biomedical signals
• Signals that are generated by biological systems
• Measured and analyzed to provide insights into health conditions
• Often recorded using various sensors and devices
Possessing a good understanding of a system of interest, makes it
possible to observe the corresponding signals and assess the state
of the system!
Bio signals - Intrinsic/ extrinsic to body
• Intrinsic :
o Always present in the human body because source is inside the body
o Indicate health status or bodily functions
o Examples : ECG, EEG
• Extrinsic :
o Bio signals includes bio signals that are artificially induced.
o Typically, not generated by the body's internal processes
o Examples : Body temperature, heart rate variability
Bio signals based on their origin
• Electric bio signals
o Refer to the electrical activities generated by biological processes in the
body.
o Examples: EEG, ECG
• Magnetic bio signals
o Associated with the magnetic fields produced by biological processes or
devices that measure these fields.
o Example: MRI
Bio signals based on their origin
• Mechanic bio signals
o Refer to the physical forces or movements generated by biological
systems.
o Examples: EMG
• Optic bio signals
o Refer to biological signals that are related to light or optical phenomena
within biological systems
o Example : Retinal imaging, Vision and eye tracking
Bio signals based on their origin
• Acoustic bio signals
o Refer to biological signals that involve sound waves produced by or
interacting with biological systems.
o Example : Ultrasound, Speech and voice analysis
• Chemical bio signals
o Refer to biological signals that involve chemical substances or processes
within the body.
o Example : Blood glucose levels, hormone levels
o Thermal bio signals
o Refer to biological signals related to temperature changes in the body or
its environment.
o Example : Body temperature
Electric bio signals
• Source of bioelectric signals is the activity of single excitable
neural or muscular cell.
• The collective electrical activity of a large group of active cells in
vicinity changes the properties of the electric field.
• Changes in this electrical field is then indirectly monitored and
measured by electrodes placed on the skin.
• Two electrode and multiple electrode recording configurations are
commonly used
Nerve cells aka Neurons
• Neural network - The most important information processing
mechanism in living biological systems
o Neurons are the basic processing units in this system
o They receive, process and transfer the neural information through electrical
signals called action potentials
Types of neurons
• Sensory neurons receive the sensory
information from the cells of the sensory
organs and transduce a particular type of
stimuli (e.g., pressure, light, temperature,
etc.) into electrical and chemical signals.
• Motor neurons receive signals from the brain
and spinal cord and control the muscles
contraction
• Interneurons create neural circuits enabling
information transfer from neurons to other
neurons within the same regions of the brain
or spinal cord
A working scenario – Nervous system
How does a neuron work?
• An external stimulation triggers continuous exchange of chemical
ions across the membrane of the nerve cell through which an
electrical pulse can be produced.
• Different phases in the process
o Resting potential
o Action Potential
o Refractory period
When neuron is not stimulated - Resting
Potential
• There is a difference in charge
between the inside and the outside
of the membrane - polarized.
• This charge difference - resting
potential, usually around -70 mV.
• Polarization occurs due to the
action of sodium-potassium ion
pumps
o Ensures that there are always more
positive ions out of the cell compared
to inside the cell
When a neuron is stimulated-Action potential
• The charge difference between the inside and outside of the cell
membrane is lost and the membrane is depolarized.
o Occurs because sodium ion channels openup in the membrane i.e,
sodium ions flood into the neuron by facilitated diffusion
• If enough charge is lost and depolarization exceeds -55 mV, an
action potential will occur in that neuron
o The -55 mV ‘limit’ is known as the threshold potential
o The potential difference across the membrane is reduced until it reaches
a voltage of around +30 mV.
This action potential is always of the same voltage (depolarization to +30 mV) regardless of whether the
stimulus that initiated the action potential is small (e.g. a pinprick) or large (e.g. a sledgehammer)!
Repolarization – At 30mV,
• Sodium ion channels close and potassium ion channels open
• The movement of positive ions out of the cell means that there is a
charge difference again across the membrane - this is called
repolarization
• The charge difference exceeds the resting potential and becomes
hyperpolarized
o Because the potassium ion channels are slow to close and too many
potassium ions diffuse out of the neuron
• The action of the sodium-potassium ion pump restores the
balance between sodium and potassium ions – Back to resting
potential
Immediately after an action potential is a brief
period - Refractory period
• During this period (typically of 1-3ms duration), the neuron cannot
be stimulated, and an action potential cannot occur.
o Because the ion channels are recovering, and they cannot be made to
open
Further reading - https://www.thesciencehive.co.uk/the-nervous-system-a-level
In short,
Action potential of different cells
Examples of Bio electric signals
• ECG
• EMG
• EEG
• EOG
• And so on
References
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa6rvUJlg7o
• https://rcet.org.in/uploads/academics/rohini_17948186932.pdf
• https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/biomedical-signal-origin-
and-dynamics/250251332
• https://www.ai.rug.nl/minds/uploads/Chapter%202_%20Bioelect
ricity.pdf
