Key result
Computational methods, including a transfer function and amplitude-phase correction, effectively mitigated the discrepancy in timings and amplitudes of BCG waves between a weighing scale and force plate.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to investigate measurement instrument-dependent variability in the morphology of the ballistocardiogram waveform in humans and computational methods to mitigate this variability.
Signal processing methods can effectively mitigate instrument-induced morphological variability in ballistocardiogram waveforms, facilitating standardized analysis across different measurement platforms.
Enables consistent BCG across devices in research; leaves open clinical validation before adoption.
The objective of this study was to investigate the measurement instrument-dependent variability in the morphology of the ballistocardiogram (BCG) waveform in human subjects and computational methods to mitigate the variability. The BCG was measured in 22 young healthy subjects using a high-performance force plate and a customized commercial weighing scale under upright standing posture. The timing and amplitude features associated with the major I, J, K waves in the BCG waveforms were extracted and quantitatively analyzed. The results indicated that 1) the I, J, K waves associated with the weighing scale BCG exhibited delay in the timings within the cardiac cycle relative to the ECG R wave as well as attenuation in the absolute amplitudes than the respective force plate counterparts, whereas 2) the time intervals between the I, J, K waves were comparable. Then, two alternative computational methods were conceived in an attempt to mitigate the discrepancy between force plate versus weighing-scale BCG: a transfer function and an amplitude-phase correction. The results suggested that both methods effectively mitigated the discrepancy in the timings and amplitudes associated with the I, J, K waves between the force plate and weighing-scale BCG. Hence, signal processing may serve as a viable solution to the mitigation of the instrument-induced morphological variability in the BCG, thereby facilitating the standardized analysis and interpretation of the timing and amplitude features in the BCG across wide-ranging measurement platforms.
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Yao et al. (2019) studied Healthy (n=22). Computational methods (transfer function and amplitude-phase correction) vs. Uncorrected weighing scale measurements vs force plate was evaluated on Timing and amplitude features associated with the major I, J, K waves in the BCG waveforms. Computational methods, including a transfer function and amplitude-phase correction, effectively mitigated the discrepancy in timings and amplitudes of BCG waves between a weighing scale and force plate.
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