Bio-Electric Amplifier
(Op-Amp, Isolation Amplifier, Instrumentation Amplifier)
OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIERS
• Circuits involving operational amplifiers form the cornerstone for any bioinstrumentation,
from amplifiers to filters.
• Amplifiers used in biomedical applications have very high-input impedance to keep the
current drawn from the system being measured low.
• Most body signals have very small magnitudes. For example, an ECG has a magnitude in
the millivolts, and the EEG has a magnitude in the microvolts.
• Analog filters are often used to remove noise from a signal, typically through frequency
domain analysis to design the filter.
• The operation amplifier is an amplifier, but as we will see, when it is combined with
other circuit elements, it integrates, differentiates, sums, and subtracts.
Example-1
Example-2 Example-3
Example-4: Differential Amplifier.
4
Differentiator Integrator
ACTIVE ANALOG FILTERS
• Passive analog filters use passive circuit elements:
resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
• To improve performance in a passive analog filter, the
resistive load at the output of the filter is usually
increased.
• By using the op amp, fine control of the performance
is achieved without increasing the load at the output
of the filter.
• Filters are used to modify the measured signal by
removing noise. A filter is designed in the frequency
domain so the measured signal to be retained is
passed through and noise is rejected.
• Ideal magnitude-frequency response for four filters,
from top to bottom: low-pass, high-pass,band-pass,
and notch are shown.
Why is Bio Amplifier Required?
Generally, biological/bioelectric signals have low amplitude and low frequency. Therefore, to increase the amplitude
level of bio signals amplifiers are designed. The outputs from these amplifiers are used for further analysis and they
appear as ECG, EMG, or any bioelectric waveforms. Such amplifiers are defined as Bio Amplifiers or Biomedical
Amplifiers.
Basic Requirements for Biological Amplifiers
1.The biological amplifier should have a high input impedance value. The range of value lies between 2 MΩ and 10
MΩ depending on the applications. Higher impedance value reduces distortion of the signal.
2.When electrodes pick up biopotentials from the human body, the input circuit should be protected. Every bio-
amplifier should consist of isolation and protection circuits, to prevent the patients from electrical shocks.
3.Since the output of a bioelectric signal is in millivolts or microvolt range, the voltage gain value of the amplifier
should be higher than 100dB.
4.Throughout the entire bandwidth range, a constant gain should be maintained.
5.A bio-amplifier should have a small output impedance.
6.A good bio-amplifier should be free from drift and noise.
7.Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR) value of amplifier should be greater than 80dB to reduce the interference
from common mode signal.
8.The gain of the bio-amplifier should be calibrated for each measurement.
Types of Bio Amplifiers
Differential Amplifier
Operational Amplifier
Instrumentation Amplifier
Chopper Amplifier
Isolation Amplifier
Instrumentation Amplifier
In biomedical applications, high gain and the high input impedance are attained with an instrumentation amplifier.
Usually, a 3-amplifier setup forms the instrumentation amplifier circuit. The output from the transducer is given as
input to the instrumentation amplifier. Before the signal goes to the next stage, a special amplifier is required with
high CMRR, high input impedance and to avoid loading effects. Such a special amplifier is an instrumentation
amplifier, which does all the required process.
To each input of the differential amplifier, the non-inverting
amplifier is connected. From the figure, the amplifier on the left
side acts as non-inverting amplifiers. They are combined
together to form the input stage of the instrumentation amplifier.
The third op-amp is the difference amplifier, and it is the output
of the instrumentation amplifier.
The output from the difference amplifier Vout is the difference
between two input signals given at the input points. VO1 is the
output from op-amp 1 and VO2 is the output from op-amp 2.
Isolation Amplifier
Isolation amplifiers are known as Pre-amplifier isolation circuits. An isolation amplifier increases the input
impedance of a patient monitoring system. It also helps to isolate the patient from the device. Using the isolation
amplifier prevents accidental internal cardiac shock. It provides up to 1012 Ω insulation between the patient and
the power line in the hospital.
The electrical signals are obtained with
electrodes. The signals received goes to the
amplifier block, where signals
amplification occurs. After amplification,
the signal enters the modulation block.
When either it goes to the isolation barrier,
optical cable or transformer can be used. If
in case of optical cable, modulator output
travels to LED. The LED converts
electrical signals into light energy. If the
transformer acts an isolation barrier,
modulator output connects the primary
winding of the transformer. Energy from
primary transfers to the secondary winding
based on the mutual induction principle. At
the next stage, secondary output enters the
demodulation block. Finally, the amplified
demodulated signal is obtained.
ECG Isolation Amplifier
During ECG measurement, signals generated from all leads are sent to the low pass filter. This filter is named as
Electro surgery filters because it decreases the interference between electrosurgery and radio frequency. Next
block is the high voltage and overvoltage protection that can withstand large voltage during defibrillation.
Proceeding further, it goes to Lead Selector Switch block, which selects the required configuration. Lead selection
output goes to the DC amplifier. We have a transformer, whose primary winding is connected to the oscillator and
secondary to rectifier and filter. ECG signal is modulated with the Synchronous modulator. The second
transformer delivers the output from the synchronous modulator to the synchronous demodulator. The output from
the demodulator is fed as input to the power amplifier.
