A Novel DAQ Card-Based Electrohysterogram Simulator for Obstetric Studies

A simulator is a device used to generate electrical signals that mimics the original biopotentials produced by the human body. It is used in manufacturing, testing, maintenance, and quality assurance of different biopotential monitoring devices. Presently, most commonly used biopotential simulators include electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, and electromyogram simulators that are commercially available in the market. In this work, electrohysterogram or EHG signals have been simulated using the LabVIEW software and DAQ card. Simulating EHG signals is important for testing of newly developed EHG acquisition system as EHG data collection from a pregnant subject is hectic and tedious task, hence it saves the time as well as the money spent for the data collection during the preclinical trials of the newly developed device. EHG simulator can also be used for simulating abnormal EHG signals like in case of preterm and caesarean pregnancies, hence, it can be used to enhance the performance of prediction algorithms for classifying normal and abnormal EHG rhythms. In future, EHG simulator can also be incorporated into the medical manikins for training and education of medical practitioners as it does not exist in the market till now as well as in testing and optimization of newly developed EHG acquisition systems and disease detection algorithms fostering the research and development in the domain of gynecology and obstetrics.