Fetal monitoring via Acoustic Imaging and Medical Signals

Researchers of the AIMS Lab

PPKE (Pázmány Péter Katolikus Egyetem, Hungary)

Resumen/Abstract

The AIMS-Lab (Acoustic Imaging and Medical Signals Laboratory) is a research lab at PPKE (Pázmány Péter Katolikus Egyetem, Hungary) focusing on medical signal processing, acoustic imaging, and artificial intelligence.

Currently, its main research area is fetal monitoring, covering several aspects:

• Analysis of fetal heart sounds as a potential alternative to conventional cardiotocography. The group investigates the accurate detection of S1 and S2 heart sounds, the morphological analysis of these signals, and the identification of other fetal activities, such as hiccups and fetal movements. This research is also supported by a physical prototype developed for the experimental validation of the system, based on physical modeling using a silicone-based phantom that reproduces relevant soft-tissue and skin properties. These techniques may contribute to the prediction of complications including preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, and intrauterine fetal demise.
• Detection and analysis of fetal breathing movements in ultrasound videos. The work includes identifying the position and temporal characteristics of these movements, contributing to the automated analysis of fetal activity.
• Evaluation of fetal lung maturity, with the aim of developing non-invasive alternatives for its assessment. This research addresses the need for improved methods to evaluate fetal lung maturity, particularly in relation to the risks associated with preterm birth.

In addition, the group works on predicting cognitive impairment using long-term polysomnographic recordings. These recordings include multiple physiological signals, such as EEG, EOG, ECG, respiratory signals, and electromyographic measurements.

To support these research activities, the group develops software tools such as PyPCG and PyPSG for the automated processing and analysis of biomedical signals. These tools incorporate preprocessing, denoising, segmentation, fiducial point detection, and the extraction of relevant biomarkers.

Overall, AIMS-Lab combines medical signal processing, imaging, and artificial intelligence to develop innovative tools for clinical monitoring, analysis, and prediction.