MINNESOTA IMPEDANCE CARDIOGRAPH SERIAL
MINNESOTA IMPEDANCE CARDIOGRAPH SOFTWARE

Few non-ionizing methods, namely Bioelectric Impedance Analysis and Quantitative Ultrasound, have evolved in the past few decades. Application of these methods for mass screening is not recommended due to the use of ionizing radiations. Other methods like Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) and Peripheral QCT give volumetric information. Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry test is a widely accepted method for its diagnosis which gives areal information about the bone mineral. Fifteen minute data from volunteers have shown consistent recordings, as described in this paper.īone mineral loss is a serious health issue all over the globe resulting in osteoporosis, without showing any pre-indication of its occurrence. Chest impedance, change in impedance as a function of time and rate of change of impedance are displayed on the graphic user interface.

MINNESOTA IMPEDANCE CARDIOGRAPH SERIAL

The chest impedance is read in detector mode and communicated to Laptop through serial peripheral interface of the chip.

MINNESOTA IMPEDANCE CARDIOGRAPH SOFTWARE

Application software programs the AFE chip for sending a carrier current of 3.2 milliamperes (peak to peak) to the subject’s body segment through current output ports and sensing the chest impedance through voltage input ports. The AFE chip is interfaced to a Personal Computer with the help of a microcontroller board through a USB cable. Also the sensed signal is externally amplified before feeding to AFE chip to increase resolution in the impedance range of 10–50 Ohms. Carrier current capability of this chip has been enhanced four times (up to 3.2 milliamperes) for cardiology applications with the help of an external resistance, not provisioned in the original design. In view of cardiac output monitoring application of impedance cardiography a miniature impedance cardiograph has been developed, which is based on an application specific integrated circuit (analog front end chip AFE4300).

Minnesota impedance cardiograph