Time-efficient removal of power-line noise from EMG signals using IIR notch filters with non-zero initial conditions

Power-line interference is always a problem when biopotential signals are recorded. This paper presents a technique for time-efficient power-line interference suppression from EMG signals using digital IIR (Infinite Impulse Response) notch filters with reduced transient response. The reduction of the transient response is obtained by finding optimal non-zero initial conditions for the considered notch filters. Simulations verifying the effectiveness of the proposed technique are presented and compared with the performance of the traditional notch filters with zero initial conditions using EMG signal with unwanted sinusoidal interferences as a study case.