Dr. John Darrington

I studied under Amitava Datta, and Livia Hool investigating real time signal processing techniques. Initially, I was focusing on image processing applcations. However, I discovered that the algorithms I was investigating had applications in ECG detection and recognition. Potential applications also exist for other physiological signals including respiration and blood pressure, and anything that needs fast detection/classification of a single dimensional signal.

Interests

• Real Time Systems
• Parallel Processing
• Signal Processing
• Artificial Neural Networks

Resumé

I keep a formal CV available for those who are interested.

Software

Some software packages that I've written:

• A library of artificial neural networks, written in C++. I find it useful for implementation of applications which require integrated neural nets without having to export to Matlab or some other external application.
• The T-Test and Anova procedures for PSPP.
• Gnubik a simple Rubik's cube implementation.
• The software associated with my current research is available here:
  • maxdet.1.1.C018.tar.gz
  Please note: This software is part of an ongoing research project. It has not been written with portability in mind. Neither has it been packaged for easy building. Whilst you may use it for any purpose, in accordance with the licence (see the file named COPYING), it is provided primarily to allow academic review and criticism and not for general use.

Publications

My thesis is titled Real Time Extraction of ECG Fiducial Points Using Shape Based Detection.

Studying for a PhD. involves a lot of writing. Much of it was quite unpublishable. Some examples in the other category are listed below.

Peer Reviewed Publications

These are articles which have been published in professional or academic journals, and have been formally reviewed by specialists in the relevant field.

• A new methodology for assessment of the performance of heartbeat classification systems. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2008, 8:7
• Towards real time QRS detection: A fast method using minimal pre-processing. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, 1(2), April 2006

Conference Papers

These are papers which I've presented at conferences, and have been published in the proceedings. Most conferences have some sort of review procedure, but normally not a particularly rigourous one.

• EKG Beat Analysis: Minimising Redundancy between Detection and Classification. Proceedings of the 5th IASTED International Conference on Biomedical Engineering, February 2007 (jointly authored with Livia Hool)
• Devising a Multidimensional Significant Maxima Detection Algorithm. Proceedings of the 14th UWA CSSE Research Conference, September 2005

Personal Biography

I was born and bred in the UK before moving to Australia. Before returning to full time study, I worked for many years in the engineering industry where I gained much experience in telecommuncations and in biomedical engineering. In the UK I used to build marine radio tranceivers, and remote controlled bomb disposal vehichles. I've designed and installed telecommunications systems in Botswana, Solomon Islands, the Phillipines and many remote parts of Australia. I worked briefly in the oil and gas industry, before moving to a position as Software R&D Manager for a company developing laser eye surgury equipment. Currently I am in Germany undertaking contract software development work.

More details about me on my at home page.

Contact Details