Originally Published EMDM
November 2003
INDUSTRY NEWS
French Connection Gets Devices Talking |
| Universal connectivity software from Capsule Technologie can collect data from more than 200 medical devices and send it to clinical information systems in a compatible format. |
Capsule Technologie (Paris) has come a long way in a very short time. A supplier of universal device connectivity software, the firm began development of its flagship DataCaptor interface in 2000. “By the end of 2001, we had reached a milestone—ISO 9001 certification and 510(k) clearance from US FDA,” says CEO Nicolas Choussat. “Interest in our product had begun to stir among some of the key players in the industry,” he adds. Since then, Siemens, GE Medical, Dräger, and Philips, among others, have integrated Capsule Technologie’s product into their medical systems. With the recent launch of DataCaptor 4.4, featuring plug-and-play connectivity, the company is looking forward to even more stellar results.
DataCaptor provides an interface between stand-alone and/or networked medical devices, primarily bedside monitors, ventilators, and infusion pumps. It collects the medical data originating at a device’s communication port, translates it into XML or HL7, and distributes it to clinical and hospital information systems. The company claims to have the largest library of medical device interfaces, with built-in support for more than 220 different products. DataCaptor 4.4 adds unprecedented ease of use to the company’s extensive interface capabilities.
The product integrates an Automatic Device Identification module, which allows users to connect and reconnect any of the medical devices supported by DataCaptor without reconfiguring the software. This can be beneficial in hospital settings where bedside monitors are frequently changed. “It was quite tricky fine-tuning the plug-and-play capability,” says Choussat, who adds that the firm has succeeded in developing a completely reliable and rapid detection system. A fully functional version of DataCaptor 4.4 can be downloaded from www. capsuletech.com for a free 30-day evaluation.
Healthcare environments are still riddled with so-called islands of information, devices with proprietary data protocols that put up barriers to communication. But manufacturers are increasingly aware, says Choussat, that universal connectivity is the way forward. Third-party connectivity vendors, such as Capsule Technologie, represent the best option to get from here to there, he adds.
“Developing connectivity solutions is a time-consuming task that can be a tremendous drain on resources,” says Choussat. This is especially true, he notes, when it is not a firm’s core competency. “Why reinvent the wheel when a best-of-breed product is available?” he asks. “Many suppliers of clinical information systems are device manufacturers themselves,” adds Choussat. “They would have to talk to their competitors, even ask them for help, to develop the drivers [that allow multiple devices and clinical information systems to communicate]. It’s so much easier to go through a third party.”
To learn more about Capsule Technologie, contact the company at 79 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75009 Paris, France; phone: +33 1 53341400; fax: +33 1 53341409; Internet:
www.capsuletech.com; e-mail: info@capsuletech.com.
Norbert Sparrow
Copyright ©2003 European Medical Device Manufacturer
