Medical Device Link.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Cambridge Consultants’ Vena single-chip platform is featured in the firm’s vision of a wrist-worn blood pressure monitor. The device would be slipped on periodically during the week and would wirelessly transfer recorded data to a central monitor.

Cambridge Consultants Ltd. (Cambridge, UK) has developed a single-chip system that allows medical devices to transmit data wirelessly. The Vena platform uses low-cost wireless technology and will enable devices to deliver medical readings to a central monitor located in the home or to an online health record such as Google Health or Microsoft Health Vault. The Vena software can be added to a medical device at a potential cost of less than US$10 and may be available for medical device applications by the end of the year.

The platform embeds the emerging IEEE11073 standard, which ensures compatibility of data exchanged between different types of devices, as well as the Bluetooth Medical Device Profile to optimize the secure transport of medical data. Successfully concept tested with a pulse oximeter and weighing scales, the platform will be expanded to include other types of devices such as blood pressure monitors.

The system could be used with multiple devices to provide a connection to online records through a monitoring station, home PC, or set-top box. The platform incorporates support for a range of connection types in addition to Bluetooth including Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections, and cable connections using USB or a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter.

For more information, contact Cambridge Consultants Ltd., Science Park, Milton Rd., Cambridge CB4 0DW, UK; phone: +44 1223 420024; fax: +44 1223 423373; e-mail: info@cambridgeconsultants.com; Internet: www.cambridgeconsultants.com.