Time-frequency analysis and filtering of kinematic signals with impacts using the Wigner function: accurate estimation of the second derivative

Biomechanical signals are represented in the time-frequency domain using the Wigner distribution function. Filtering of this representation for the case of a non-stationary displacement signal with impact is studied. Smoothed displacement data are then double differentiated and compared with references accelerometer data. It is shown that this technique is able to remove noise from these signals in a better way than conventional filtering techniques currently used in biomechanics. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.