Generic System For The Acquisition, Archiving And Analysis Of Physiological Data

Abstract

This paper describes a generic data acquisition, data archiving and analysis system designed for use in physiological monitoring research projects. Cost is minimised by exploiting the functionality and priceperformance of current micro-computer workstations. The system provides researchers with data analysis/visualisation functions driven through a standard Graphical User Interface (GUI). The system uses AppleTM computers the low-cost, high function PowerBook (lap top) as a bed side monitoring station and the high-end Quadra with large screen for the subsequent manipulation and study of the data. Specialist hardware has been minimised and reduced to signal conditioning, analogue to digital conversion and safety isolation. This data acquisition unit is slaved to a lap-top which controls sampling/timing functions, data storage to hard disk and real-time graphical display of physiological parameters on its LCD display. At the end of the monitoring period the data are then networked to a host micro-computer for long-term archiving to an optical disk. Using a large colour screen, visualisation tools allow researchers to navigate through the data looking for significant features. The tools provide assistance via standard feature recognition functions and through software hooks. The system has been designed generically hence the number of channels, sampling rates, analysis functions may be configured with ease.