MULTIWAVE - A WAVELET-BASED ECG DATA-COMPRESSION ALGORITHM

MultiWave data compression algorithm is based on the multiresolution w avelet technique for decomposing Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals into their coarse and successively more detailed components. At each succes sive resolution, or scale, the data are convolved with appropriate fil ters and then the alternate samples are discarded. This procedure resu lts in a data compression rate that increases on a dyadic scale with s uccessive wavelet resolutions. ECG signals recorded from patients with normal sinus rhythm, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular ta chycardia are analyzed. The data compression rates and the percentage distortion levels at each resolution are obtained. The performance of the MultiWave data compression algorithm is shown to be superior to an other algorithm (the Turning Point algorithm) that also carries out da ta reduction on a dyadic scale.