Efficient ECG Reconstruction and Heart Rate Monitoring Using Time-Based Sampler

Heart rate monitoring (HRM) based on electrocardiogram (ECG) is an important diagnostic technique for numerous cardiovascular conditions. To provide continuous, portable HRM, and rapid data transfer for instantaneous intervention, wireless technology is necessary, with limitations on system power, bandwidth, and resolution. Recent studies have demonstrated that ECG signals can be modeled as variable pulse width finite rate of innovation (VPW-FRI). In this paper, we develop a time-based VPW-FRI framework, using the power-efficient integrate-and-fire time encoding machine (IF-TEM) sampler. We introduce a method for time-based sub-Nyquist sampling and reconstruction of ECG signals, with application to HRM. Unlike standard sampling systems, the TEM-based sampler is asynchronous and does not require a power-consuming clock. Therefore, it can be exploited for medical applications, such as an energy-efficient pace-maker that may consume less space and power than conventional devices.