Yangon Technological University

Department of Electronic Engineering

Biomedical Signal and Image Processing

EcE-51005
Assignment 1

Name- Nway Theint Khin

Roll Number- VEC-2
Date- 27 December 2023

1
1. What is the difference between signals and biomedical signals?
In general, Signal is a set of information and data that are being sent from one place to
another by the means of transmission medium which can be via telecom or by post office and so
on. This is the simplest definition of signal. In general sense, a signal is a physical quantity that
can be counted, can be seen with eyes or via devices and can be heard and measurable and it
varies with time or frequency and it can be in various forms such as electrical form, mechanical
form, sonic form or so on. Signals are used to convey data, messages and information in various
fields. The information carried by a signal may be analog or digital in nature. Some Examples of
Signals are Electrical Signals: Voltage and current waveforms in electronic circuits, Acoustic
Signals: Sound waves in the air, Optical Signals: Light intensity variations in optical
communication, Biological Signals: Physiological signals such as ECG (electrocardiogram) or
EEG (electroencephalogram).
Let me explain what a biomedical signal is. Biomedical signal is a kind of signal which
comes from the different parts of living bodies, both animals and human beings. Biomedical
signals refer to signals that originate from physiological processes within the human body. These
signals reflect various aspects of the body's functions and are essential for understanding health,
diagnosing medical conditions, and monitoring patients. Biomedical signals come in various
forms and can be broadly categorized based on their origin. Common types include electrical
signals (e.g., ECG, EEG, EMG), mechanical signals (e.g., blood pressure, respiratory signals),
and biochemical signals (e.g., glucose levels, hormone concentrations). Checking our body
temperature from the thermometer and knowing the result, it is also by means of biomedical
signals.
Now, What is the difference between signal and biomedical signal? I have briefly
explained the nature of both signal and biomedical signal. In general, signals can be from both
living and nonliving things but biomedical signals can be found only in humans and animals.
Signals can be electrical voltages, acoustic pressure (sound waves), light intensity, or any other
measurable quantity that changes over time. Biomedical signals provide information about the
functioning of organs, tissues, and systems in the body. While signals can be any
information-carrying physical quantity used in various applications, biomedical signals
specifically pertain to signals related to the human body and its physiological processes.

2
2. Briefly describe ECG, EMG, and EEG signals and its application area.
1. Electrocardiogram (ECG):

● ECG is a biomedical signal that measures the electrical activity of the heart over a
specified period of time. It measures the rhythm and invariability of heart beat, the size
and position of the heart chambers, the presence of any damage to the heart's muscle cells
or conduction system. Its bandwidth is in the range of 0.05– 100 Hz. Electrocardiogram
(ECG) signals represent the electrical activity of the human heart and consist of several
waveforms (P, QRS, and T), P-wave: Atrial depolarization, QRS complex: Ventricular
depolarization, T-wave: Ventricular repolarization.
● Its application areas are Clinical Diagnosis: ECG is extensively used in cardiology for
diagnosing various heart conditions, including arrhythmias, myocardial infarction (heart
attack), and other cardiac abnormalities, Monitoring: Continuous ECG monitoring is
done in hospitals and ambulatory settings to detect and monitor cardiac abnormalities.

3
2. Electromyogram (EMG):

● EMG is a biomedical signal that measures the electrical activity generated by skeletal
muscles. It reflects the neuromuscular activation and contraction of muscles. EMG
amplitude is random or Stochastic. Dominant energy of the EMG signal is between 50 Hz
and 150 Hz range. EMG measures the sum of the electrical activity of multiple motor
units, This is observed as a bipolar signal with a symmetric distribution of positive and
negative amplitudes (mean value equals zero). EMG signal are much more complex and
difficult to remove noise and filtering than the ECG since EMG signals are from muscles
which are from the whole part of the human body while the ECG signals are only from
the heart. We can extract ECG signals from EMG signals.

● Its Application Areas are Neuromuscular Disorders: EMG is used in neurology to

diagnose and study disorders affecting the muscles and nerves, such as myopathies and
neuropathies, Rehabilitation: EMG is applied in physical therapy to assess muscle
function and guide rehabilitation exercises.

4
3. Electroencephalogram (EEG):

● EEG is a biomedical signal that measures the electrical activity of the brain. It records the
collective neural activity of large groups of neurons. EEG helps to acquire brain signals
corresponding to various states from the scalp surface area Generally categorized as
delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma based on signal frequencies ranges from 0.1Hz to
more than 100 Hz.

● Its application areas are Neurology: EEG is crucial for diagnosing and studying various
neurological conditions, including epilepsy, brain tumors, and sleep disorders,
Brain-Computer Interface (BCI): EEG is used in BCI applications, enabling individuals
to control devices or communicate using their brain signals, Sleep Studies: EEG is
employed in sleep medicine to monitor and analyze sleep patterns and disorders.