A simple real-time QRS detection algorithm

Abstract

A simple algorithm using topological mapping has been developed for a real-time detection of the QRS complexes of ECG signals. As a measure of QRS complex energy, the authors used topological mapping from one dimensional sampled ECG signals to two dimensional vectors. To describe a change of curvature, the authors derive modified spatial velocity (MSV), from MSV the authors can locate QRS complexes more easily. The proposed algorithm consists of very small C-language procedures which reliably recognize the QRS complexes. For evaluation the authors used the MIT/BIH arrhythmia database. The proposed algorithm provides a good performance, a 99.58% detection rate of QRS complexes, a 99.57% sensitivity and 99.87% positive predictivity, respectively.