ECG-Based Subject Identification Using Statistical Features and Random Forest

In this work, a nonfiducial electrocardiogram (ECG) identification algorithm based on statistical features and random forest classifier is presented. Two feature extraction approaches are investigated: direct and band-based approaches. In the former, eleven simple statistical features are directly extracted from a single-lead ECG signal segment. In the latter, the single-lead ECG signal is first decomposed into bands, and the statistical features are extracted from each segment of a given band and concatenated to form the feature vector. Nonoverlapping segments of different lengths (i.e., 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, or 15 sec) are examined. The extracted feature vectors are applied to a random forest classifier, for the purpose of identification. This study considers 290 reference subjects from the ECG database of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). The proposed identification algorithm achieved an accuracy rate of 99.61% utilizing the single limb lead (I) with the band-based approach. A single chest lead (V1), augmented limb lead (aVF), and Frank’s lead (Vx) achieved an accuracy rate of 99.37%, 99.76%, and 99.76%, respectively, using the same approach.