Algorithm for data reduction and automatic analysis of intestinal motility tracings and other smooth biological signals.

An algorithm is presented for the processing of smooth biological signals with an important implicit data reduction. It is a solid basis for an automatic analysis of these signals. The algorithm is based on the approximation of the signals with a linear combination of cubic B-splines. Depending on the parameters, a data reduction of between 8:1 and 12:1 can be achieved. The most important differences from conventional biological signal processing methods are the representation of the signal by the coefficients of the linear combination instead of a series of samples and the analysis by calculations of the time of the appearance of patterns instead of iterative searching. The approximation and analysis of long-lasting multichannel signals can be performed online with a modern microprocessor. Approximating the signal with a linear combination of cubic B-splines with equally spaced knots, according to the linear least-squares criterion gives the desired data reduction and an elegant way to perform an automatic analysis. A window calculation scheme makes it possible to handle very long signals online.