ChatPPG.
Join free
First page or project page of “The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution” (opens in a new tab)

Paperdoi:10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e

The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution

Venue listed2025Added Nov 5, 2026

Authors: Peter H Charlton, Erick Javier Argüello-Prada, Jonathan Mant, Panicos A Kyriacou

Physiological Measurement

Publisher (opens in a new tab) Cite
CC BY 4.0
First page or project page of “The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution” (opens in a new tab)

Peter H Charlton et al., "The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution", doi:10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e, CC BY 4.0

TL;DR

Objective: photoplethysmography is widely used for physiological monitoring, whether in clinical devices such as pulse oximeters, or consumer devices such as smartwatches. A key step in the analysis of photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals is detecting heartbeats. The multi-scale peak & trough detection ( MSPTD ) algorithm has been found to be one of the most accurate PPG beat detection algorithms, but is less computationally efficient than other algorithms.

Abstract

Objective: photoplethysmography is widely used for physiological monitoring, whether in clinical devices such as pulse oximeters, or consumer devices such as smartwatches. A key step in the analysis of photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals is detecting heartbeats. The multi-scale peak & trough detection ( MSPTD ) algorithm has been found to be one of the most accurate PPG beat detection algorithms, but is less computationally efficient than other algorithms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a more efficient, open-source implementation of the MSPTD algorithm for PPG beat detection, named MSPTDfast (v.2) . Approach. five potential improvements to MSPTD were identified and evaluated on four datasets. MSPTDfast (v.2) was designed by incorporating each improvement which on its own reduced execution time whilst maintaining a high F 1 -score. After internal validation, MSPTDfast (v.2) was benchmarked against state-of-the-art beat detection algorithms on four additional datasets. Main results. MSPTDfast (v.2) incorporated two key improvements: pre-processing PPG signals to reduce the sampling frequency to 20 Hz; and only calculating scalogram scales corresponding to heart rates >30 bpm. During internal validation MSPTDfast (v.2) was found to have an execution time of between approximately one-third and one-twentieth of MSPTD , and a comparable F 1 -score. During benchmarking MSPTDfast (v.2) was found to have the highest F 1 -score alongside MSPTD , and amongst one of the lowest execution times with only MSPTDfast (v.1) , qppgfast and MMPD (v.2) achieving shorter execution times. Significance. MSPTDfast (v.2) is an accurate and efficient PPG beat detection algorithm, available in an open-source Matlab toolbox.

Verbatim from the publisher's DOI record (opens in a new tab) · Publisher licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Results on ChatPPG leaderboards

All leaderboards

No results from this paper on ChatPPG leaderboards yet. Browse the leaderboards.

Tasks & signals

Signals

PPG

Keywords

Kyriacou BibliographyPPG Fundamentals Methods

Datasets used

How it works

How Method works: Setup → Method → TargetSetup: Signals (PPG). Method: Method.SetupSignals: PPGSignalsPPGMethodMethod

Cite this paper

Cite this paper with the fields recorded here. Check it against the publisher before submitting.

Charlton, P. H., Argüello-Prada, E. J., Mant, J., & Kyriacou, P. A. (2025). The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution. Physiological Measurement. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e
Charlton, Peter H, Erick Javier Argüello-Prada, Jonathan Mant, and Panicos A Kyriacou. 2025. "The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution." Physiological Measurement. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e.
Charlton, P. H., Argüello-Prada, E. J., Mant, J. and Kyriacou, P. A. (2025) 'The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution', Physiological Measurement. doi: 10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e.
Charlton, Peter H, et al. "The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution." Physiological Measurement, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e.
P. H. Charlton, E. J. Argüello-Prada, J. Mant, and P. A. Kyriacou, "The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution," Physiological Measurement, 2025, doi: 10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e.
@article{charlton2025msptdfast,
  title         = {{The MSPTDfast photoplethysmography beat detection algorithm: design, benchmarking, and open-source distribution}},
  author        = {Charlton, Peter H. and Argüello-Prada, Erick Javier and Mant, Jonathan and Kyriacou, Panicos A.},
  year          = {2025},
  journal       = {Physiological Measurement},
  doi           = {10.1088/1361-6579/adb89e}
}

Added to the ChatPPG research hub

Same tasks, data and authors

Papers

Models

Datasets