Biopotential Amplifiers

Hsiao-Lung Chan, Ph.D.

Dept Electrical Engineering
Chang Gung University, Taiwan
chanhl@mail.cgu.edu.tw
Operational amplifier

Practical Ideal

HL Chan , EE, CGU

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Ideal vs. practical OP amp

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Differential- and common-mode inputs

Vo = A d V d + A cm V cm
where A d = A ol (open-loop gain)
Ideally, A d = ∞ , A cm = 0
CMRR = 20 log10 | A d / A cm | = ∞
or, = | A d / A cm | HL Chan , EE, CGU
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Inverting amplifier

V o / V i = - ( RF / RI )
Ideally, R in = R I and Rout = 0

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Inverting amplifier

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Noninverting amplifier

V o / V i = 1 + ( R2 / R1 )
Ideally, Z i = ∞ and Z o = 0 HL Chan , EE, CGU
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Differential Amplifier

R2

R1
V1 -
　 Vo
R3
Rid V2 +

R4
Rid = R1 +R3 R2 R4 R
Vo  (1  ) V2  2 V1
R1 R3  R4 R1

R2 R R
 (V2  V1 ) if 2  4
R1 R1 R3

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 Differential Amplifier: Imbalance Effect

R1 R2 ( 1 -ε ) R1  R2 (1   ) R2 V
Vo  (Vcm  dm )
R1 R1  R2 2
- - Vdm / 2
+ - 
R2 (1   ) V
(Vcm  dm )
Vo R1 2
+ Vdm / 2
+
Vcm
+ -
- R1 R2
Vo  AdmVdm  AcmVcm

R2 R  2 R2  R2
Adm  (1  1 ), Acm  
R1 R1  R2 2 R1  R2

Adm 1  R2 / R1
CMRR  20 log10  20 log10
Acm 

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Instrumental Amplifier (IA)

 Three OP-AMP IA Realization

V1
+

- R2
R'
Rid R1
　 -
Vo
Rg R1
R'
+

Rid = ∞ R2 R2 2 R'
- Vo  (1  )(V2  V1 )
R1 Rg
V2 +

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 Analog
filters

S. Franco, “Design with

Operational Amplifiers and
Analog Integrated Circuits”,
Second Edition, 1998.
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First-order lowpass active filter

VO 1  R2 / R1 H0
H (s)   H ( jf ) 
Vin 1  sCR 1  j( f / f0 )
1 R
where f 0  and H 0  1  2
2RC R1

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First-order lowpass filter

R2

Vi R1 VO  R2 / R1
- H ( s)  
Vo Vi 1  sCR2
+
H0
H ( jf ) 
1  j( f / f0 )

1 R2
where f 0  and H 0  
2R2C R1

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First-order highpass filter

VO R sCR j( f / f0 )
H (s)   (1  2 ) H ( jf )  H 0
Vin R1 1  sCR 1  j( f / f0 )
1 R
where f 0  and H 0  1  2
2RC R1

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First-order highpass filter

R2

C
R1 VO  sCR2
Vi
- H (s)  
Vo
Vi 1  sCR1
+
j( f / f0 )
H ( jf )  H 0
1  j( f / f0 )

1 R2
where f 0  and H 0  
2R1C R1

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 First-order bandpass active filter

C2

| H　 | (dB)
R2 -20
20 log (R2/R1) dB/decade
C1 　
Vi R1 ↙
- f
Vo f1 f2
+

V  sC1 R2  ( R2 / R1 ) j ( f / f1 )
H (s)  O  H ( jf ) 
Vi (1  sC1 R1 )(1  sC 2 R2 ) [1  j ( f / f1 )][1  j ( f / f 2 )]

1 1
where f1  and f 2 
2R1C1 2R2 C 2

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Instrumental amplifier with first-order highpass filter

V1
+

-
R' R2
R1
- Vo
Rg R1
+
R'
R2
- Vref C R
V2
+
-
Vo s
+
G
Integrator
V2  V1 s
1
feedback RC

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Second-order filters

n2 s 2  n1 s  n0
H (s)  2
s  ( 0 / Q ) s   02

(1) Low-pass response (2) High-pass response

n2 = n1 = 0, n0 = ω02 n2 = 1, n1 = n0 = 0

 02 s2
H (s)  H (s)  2
s 2  ( 0 / Q ) s   02 s  ( 0 / Q ) s   02

1  ( f / f0 )2
H ( jf )  H ( jf ) 
1  ( f / f 0 ) 2  ( j / Q )( f / f 0 ) 1  ( f / f 0 ) 2  ( j / Q )( f / f 0 )

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Second-order filters

Low-pass response High-pass response

S. Franco, “Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits”, Second Edition, 1998.

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 Second-order Sallen-Key lowpass filter

nC -
Vo
Vi mR R
+
C

1
H ( jf ) 
1  ( f / f 0 ) 2  ( j / Q )( f / f 0 )

1 mn
where f 0  and Q 
2 mn RC m 1

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Second-order Sallen-Key highpass filter

R -
Vo
Vi
+
C
nC
mR

 ( f / f0 )2
H ( jf ) 
1  ( f / f 0 ) 2  ( j / Q )( f / f 0 )

1 mn
where f 0  and Q 
2 mn RC n 1
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Second-order filters

(3) Band-pass response (4) Band-reject response

n2 = 0, n1 =ω0/Q, n0 = 0 n2 = 1, n1 =0, n0 =ω02

( 0 / Q ) s s 2   02
H (s)  2 H (s)  2
s  ( 0 / Q ) s   02 s  ( 0 / Q ) s   02

( j / Q )( f / f 0 ) 2 1  ( f / f0 )2
H ( jf )  H ( jf ) 
1  ( f / f 0 ) 2  ( j / Q )( f / f 0 ) 1  ( f / f 0 ) 2  ( j / Q )( f / f 0 )

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Second-order band-reject filters

S. Franco, “Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits”, Second Edition, 1998.

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Twin-T notch filter

Vo
-
R R
+
2C
Vi

- R2
R/2
+
C C
R1

1  ( f / f0 )2
H ( jf ) 
1  ( f / f 0 ) 2  ( j / Q )( f / f 0 )
1 1
where f 0  , and Q 
2RC  R1 
41  
 R1  R2 
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Twin-T notch filter

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Twin-T notch filter (Cont.)

From WJ. Tompkins, JG. Webster. Design of

Microcomputer-Based Medical Instrumentation,
Prentice-Hall, 1981.

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Dipole field of heart when R is maximum

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Electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements

I – II + III = 0

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Augmented Leads

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Augmented Leads

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Relation of different-lead ECG

Einthoven triangle

From WJ Tompkins, Biomedical Digital Signal Processing, Prentice-Hall, 1993.

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Relation of different-lead ECG (Cont.)

From WJ Tompkins, Biomedical Digital Signal Processing, Prentice-Hall, 1993.

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Wilson’s central terminal

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Chest leads

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ECG measurement using chest leads

From JJ Carr, Introduction to Biomedical Equipment Technology, Prentice-Hall, 1998.

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ECG at chest leads

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12-Lead ECG Precordial leads: V1-V6

Einthoven leads: I, II & III

Goldberger augmented leads: VR, VL & VF

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Vectorcardiogram (VCG)

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ECG amplifier

+
R3, 24.5kΩ 0.03 Hz
C1 R1, 10kΩ
Rg, 8.25kΩ AD620 High-
G =143
pass
R4, 1MΩ R2, 24.5kΩ G=7
Filter

- -
(Analog Device Application Reference)
+

Instrumentation amplifier

“Drievn-right-leg” circuit 49 .4 k
Gain  1
(1) Reduce common-mode voltage Rg
(2) R1 limits the current to patient. C1 maintains stability of the circuit.

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Interferences in ECG

Power-line interference

Electromyographic interference

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Power interference in ECG measurement

Power line,
120V, 50/60 Hz
Cb ib C3
C2 C1 id3

id1 SShielding
Zs1
-

id2 Rg
Instrumental
Zs2 Amplifier

Zcm
+
Driven-right
leg circuit

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Common-mode voltage by power-line interference

vcm  idb Z G

Typical value
vcm = (0.2 μA) (50 kΩ)
= 10 mV

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Impedance mismatch in ECG measurement

• Degradation of CMRR due to nonzero source

resistance and parasitic capacitance

Rs 1 V1
-
C1

Rg IA Vo

+ Rs 2 C2
Vcm +
- V2

V1≠V2 due to Rs1C1 ≠ Rs2C2

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Driven-right-leg circuit

Rs1
Vcm +

-
R'
Vcm Rs2
Ra
Rcm
Vcm Rg
Ra
R'

-
+ Rf

-
+

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Driven-right-leg circuit (cont.)

Ra/2
Vcm Vo
 0
Ra / 2 R f
+
Vcm
-  Vo  
2R f
Vcm
Ra
id
Vcm 　 Rf
2R f
-  Vcm  Vcm  id Rcm
Rcm Ra
+
Vo id Rcm
 Vcm 
1  2 R f / Ra

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 Driven-right-leg circuit (cont.)

<EX> id = 0.2 μA. A worst-case electrode resistance Rcm = 100 kΩ,

R a and R f are selected as 25 kΩ and 5 MΩ respectively.
Find Vcm.

100k  0.2A
Vcm   50V
1  2  5M / 25k

If no right-leg-driven circuit

Vcm  id  Rcm  100k  0.2A  20mV

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 ECG Amplifier: One-Lead ECG Front-End

From JJ Carr, Introduction to Biomedical Equipment Technology, Prentice-Hall, 1998. HL Chan , EE, CGU
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Six-Leads ECG Front-End (Five Patient Electrodes)
Voltage at WCT is equal to dc and
60 Hz common-mode voltage

RL Drive: Inversion of
common-mode
interference

From JJ Carr, Introduction to Biomedical Equipment Technology, Prentice-Hall, 1998.

Magnetic-field pickup in ECG measurement

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Isolation amplifier

 Basic architecture
Equivalent
108 ~ 1012 Ω

Input Output
Modulator Demodulator
Amplifier Amplifier

Isolation barrier,
can be magnetic transformer,
optical, capacitive

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Isolation amplifier (cont.)

 Isolation mode rejection ratio (IMRR)

-
VIN VOUT
+
Input Common Output Common

VIM

VIM VIM
VOUT  (VIN  )  Gain  VIN  Gain   Gain
IMRR IMRR
where IMR  20log10 IMRR

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Isolation amplifier (cont.)

 IMRR v.s. Frequency

IMR of ISO121,
Burr-Brown Corporation

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Isolation amplifier vs. instrument amplifier

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IMRR vs. CMRR

VCM V
VOUT  (VIN   IM )  Gain
CMRR IMRR

IMRISO >> CMRIA > CMRISO

ISO: Isolation amplifier
IA: Instrumental amplifier

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Transformer-coupled isolation amplifier

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Transformer-coupled isolation amplifier
(ISO212, Burr-Brown Corporation)

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Optical-coupled isolation amplifier

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Optical-coupled isolation amplifier
(ISO100, Burr-Brown Corporation)

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Capacitive isolation amplifier
(ISO121, Burr-Brown Corporation)

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Analog channel-to-channel isolation

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From JJ Carr, Introduction to Biomedical Equipment Technology, Prentice-Hall, 1998.
Analog isolation

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From JJ Carr, Introduction to Biomedical Equipment Technology, Prentice-Hall, 1998. Biopotential amplifiers 61
Digital isolation

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From JJ Carr, Introduction to Biomedical Equipment Technology, Prentice-Hall, 1998. Biopotential amplifiers 62
Digitization trend in physiological monitoring

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Multichannel EEG recodeings: NeuroscanTM

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Monopolar measurements

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Bipolar measuremesnts

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Pasteless biopotential electrodes

 Monitoring of pilots’ alertness

 Detection of gravitationally induced loss of consciousness
caused by extreme g-forces during sharp high-speed flight
 Brain state by EEG
 Muscle fatigue and eye blinks and eyeball movement by EMG
 Skin preparation to decrease skin-electrode impedance is
unacceptable for routine preflight procedures

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Capacitive active electrode array to record frontal
EEG signals

Dry electrode

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Reference

 JG. Webster, Medical Instrumentation, application and

design, 3rd, Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
 JJ.Carr, JM.Brown, Introduction to Biomedical Equipment
Technology, 4nd Edition, Prentice-Hall, 2000.
 S. Franco, “Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog
Integrated Circuits”, Second Edition, 1998.
 D. Prutchi and M. Norris, Design and Development of
Medical Electronic Instrumentation: A Practical Perspective
of the Design, Construction, and Test of Medical Devices,
John Wiley & Sons, 2004.
 生物醫學工程導論，滄海書局，2008.

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