Ballistocardiograms (BCGs) are graphical representations of the recoil from the pumping action of the heart. Introductory mechanics and a basic knowledge of the circulatory system are sufficient to understand the key features of a BCG. BCGs with adequate detail for instructional purposes may be produced easily and rapidly using hardware (a force plate) and software common to introductory physics labs. The interdisciplinary nature of this exercise is a particularly attractive feature. We have used it as a demonstration in a course on mechanics for nonphysics majors as well as for visiting high school students, and indicate here possible ways to incorporate it into upper-level physics or biomechanics courses.
REFERENCES
1.
Herbert R. Brown, Vincent deLalla, Marvin A. Epstein, and Marvin J. Hoffman, Clinical Ballistocardiography (The Macmillan Company, New York, 1953).
2.
Details are available in most standard human anatomy books, for instance, H. Gray, Gray's Anatomy, 37th ed. (Churchill Livingstone, 1989), or Robert A. Chase, The Bassett Atlas of Human Anatomy (The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc., 1989).
3.
A Mathematica notebook that implements this filter may be obtained by contacting the authors.
4.
Derivation of the basic equations as well as a quantitative analysis of the details of a BCG can be found in George B. Benedek and Felix M.H. Villars, Physics with Illustrative Examples from Medicine and Biology: Mechanics, 3rd ed. (Springer, 2000), pp. 271–281.
5.
Antonio
Eblen-Zajjur
, “A simple ballistocardiographic system for a medical cardiovascular physiology course
,” Advan. Physiol. Educ.
27
, 224
–229
(2003
).
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© 2008 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2008
American Association of Physics Teachers
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