A microcontroller-based ECG signal generator design utilizing microcontroller PWM output and experimental ECG data

Abstract

Signal generators are commonly used in biomedical engineering studies. Biomedical circuits must often be tested using EEG, ECG etc. signals. The circuit tests are usually done by connecting electronic circuits to humans. It is a cumbersome process. Electronic biomedical signal sources or signal generators can be used to test biomedical measurement circuits at the early stage of the design processes. Such signal generators are expensive and are not always found in laboratories. In this study, a biomedical signal generator is designed using a cheap and easy- to-use Arduino Mega 2560 R3 microcontroller. SD card connected to the microcontroller is uploaded with an experimental ECG waveform. It is shown that the circuit is able to produce the desired ECG waveforms by sending through its PWM output and low-pass filter and performs well.