Digital Filtering: Background and Tutorial for Psychophysiologists

Abstract

Digital filtering offers more to psychophysiologists than is commonly appreciated. An introduction is offered here to foster the explicit design and use of digital filters. Because of considerable confusion in the literature about terminology important to both analog and digital filtering, basic concepts are reviewed and clarified. Because some time series concepts are fundamental to digital filtering, these are also presented. Examples of filters commonly used in psychophysiology are given, and procedures are presented for the design and use of one type of digital filter. Properties of some types of digital filters are described, and the relative advantages of simple analog and digital filters are discussed.