Skip to main content
Log in

Relationship Between Measurement Site and Motion Artifacts in Wearable Reflected Photoplethysmography

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Medical Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pulse rates obtained from wearable photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors are important for monitoring cardiovascular condition, especially during exercise. However, it is difficult to precisely count pulse rates during exercise because PPG is sensitive to body movement. The artifacts from body movement are caused by a change in the blood volume at the measurement site, in addition to pulsatile changes. Here, we investigated the influence of motion artifact with respect to light source and anatomical sites. In this study, we compared the signal from green-light PPG to that from infrared PPG at different anatomical sites. In these experiments, 11 subjects were asked to either assume a resting position or generate spontaneous motion artifact by jumping and swinging their arm. As a result, pulse rates obtained from green-light PPG showed a higher correlation with the ECG R-R interval as compared to those obtained with infrared. Additionally, the signal from the upper arm showed less artifact than did the peripheral one. Therefore, the green-light PPG may be useful for pulse rate monitoring.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Allen, J., Photoplethysmography and its application in clinical physiological measurement. Physiol. Meas. 28:R1–R39, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Kim, B. S., and Yoo, S. K., Motion artifact reduction in photoplethysmography using independent component analysis. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 53:566–568, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hayes, M. J., and Smith, P. R., Artifact Reduction in Photoplethysmography. Appl. Opt. 37:7437–7446, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Yan, Y., Poon, C., and Zhang, Y., Reduction of motion artifact in pulse oximetry by smoothed pseudo Wigner-Ville distribution. J. Neuro Eng. Rehabil. 2:3, 2005. Open access.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Seyedtabaii, S., Seyedtabaii, L., Kalman filter based adaptive reduction of motion artifact from photoplethysmographic signal World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology. 37 2008.

  6. Hertzman, A. B., The blood supply of various skin areas as estimated by the photoelectric plethysmograph. Am. J. Physiol. 124:323–340, 1938.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hertzman, A. B., Randall, W. C., and Jochim, K. E., Relations between cutaneous blood flow and blood content in the finger pad, forearm and forehead. Am. J. Physiol. 150:122–132, 1947.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hertzman, A. B., and Randakk, W. C., Regional differences in the basal and maxima rates of blood flow in skin. J. Appl. Physiol. 151:234–241, 1948.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Tur, E., Tur, M., Maibach, H. I., and Guy, R. H., Basal perfusion of the cutaneous microcirculation: measurements as a function of anatomical position. J. Invetst. Dermatol. 81:442–446, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Allen, J., and Murray, A., Variability of photoplethysmograpy peripheral pulse measurements at the ears, thumbs and toes. IEE Proc. Sci. Measu. Technol. 147:403–407, 2000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kamal, A. A. R., Harness, J. B., Irving, G., and Mearns, A. J., Skin photoplethysmography—a review. Comp. Meth. Programs Biomed. 28:257–269, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuka Maeda.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maeda, Y., Sekine, M. & Tamura, T. Relationship Between Measurement Site and Motion Artifacts in Wearable Reflected Photoplethysmography. J Med Syst 35, 969–976 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-010-9505-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-010-9505-0

Keywords

Navigation