ECG waveform generator for Matlab/Octave

@article{pollard_physionet_2026, title = {{PhysioNet} as a global platform for biomedical research}, volume = {1}, issn = {3005-0693}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s44360-026-00096-z}, doi = {10.1038/s44360-026-00096-z}, abstract = {Twenty-five years after its first public repository was established, the PhysioNet resource for biomedical and clinical data has enabled tens of thousands of research papers. Further efforts are ongoing to advance secure data sharing, community engagement and scalable research infrastructure.}, number = {8}, journal = {Nature Health}, author = {Pollard, Tom and Moody, Benjamin E. and Lehman, Li-wei H. and Gow, Brian J. and Fernandes, Chrystinne and Xie, Chen and Johnson, Alistair and Mark, Roger G. and Heldt, Thomas}, month = aug, year = {2026}, pages = {792--795},}

Abstract

ECGwaveGen generates a synthetic ECG signal with user-settable heart rate, signal duration, sampling frequency, QRS amplitude and duration, and T-wave amplitude. The synthesized ECG is not intended to be highly realistic. The primary application is for testing the fidelity of analog signal-processing components of cardiac monitors and similar instruments.

Description

ECGwaveGen generates a synthesized ECG signal with user-settable heart rate, signal duration, sampling frequency, QRS amplitude and duration, and T-wave amplitude; it uses QRSpulse to create premature beats followed by compensatory pauses.

The algorithm is based in part on the algorithm described in "A real-time microprocessor QRS detector system with a 1-ms timing accuracy for the measurement of ambulatory HRV" [1], in which the authors describe an artificial ECG signal based on the standard test waveforms specified in ANSI/AAMI EC13:1992 (American National Standard: Cardiac Monitors, Heart Rate Meters, and Alarms) [2].

The synthesized ECG is not intended to be highly realistic; the primary application is for testing the fidelity of analog signal-processing components of cardiac monitors and similar instruments, using an ECG-like signal with well-defined characteristics.

EC13 also specifies the use of a specific set of non-synthesized waveforms available on PhysioNet [3]. Potential users of ECGwaveGen may also wish to consider ECGSYN, which generates realistic ECG signals and provides a somewhat different set of capabilities [4].

Release notes

The files ECGwaveGen.m and QRSpulse.m were contributed to PhysioNet by Floyd Harriott of Stellate Systems.

References

1. Ruha A and Nissila S. A real-time microprocessor QRS detector system with a 1-ms timing accuracy for the measurement of ambulatory HRV", IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 44(3):159-167 (1997)
2. American National Standard: Cardiac Monitors, Heart Rate Meters, and Alarms. Available from http://www.aami.org/
3. ANSI/AAMI EC13 Test Waveforms. PhysioNet. https://physionet.org/content/aami-ec13/1.0.0/
4. McSharry PE, Clifford GD, Villarroel, M. ECGSYN. PhysioNet. https://physionet.org/content/ecgsyn/