INDUSTRY NEWS
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A radio module measuring 0.345 × 0.171 × 0.070 in. is part of the nanoLink family of wireless devices that was introduced at a recent meeting of the European Union of Hearing Aid Acousticians.
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While vendors of wireless technology are not immune to the credit crunch, they are finding relative shelter from the economic storm by focusing on healthcare applications. That is one conclusion of a report by UK-based analysts Wireless Healthcare (Cambridge). As if to prove that point, one such vendor introduced to great fanfare a wireless product with a microminiature footprint at a recent meeting of the European Union of Hearing Aid Acousticians (EUHA).
First, the analytics. The Wireless Healthcare 2008 report examines a number of companies that have successfully deployed wireless-based healthcare services. In addition to devices for the elderly, an increasing number of young and middle-aged people are taking an interest in fitness, notes the report. This has created a multibillion dollar market for devices that monitor physical performance and has seen the development of technology platforms that could also be used to monitor health.
The report lists 802.11, Bluetooth, and ZigBee wireless standards, and describes software platforms that have been customized for use within the medical sector. According to Wireless Healthcare, some vendors’ choice of technology is dictated by the partners helping them break into the medical market. The relationship between Toumaz, the developer of wireless-based body monitoring technology, and Oracle, which has its own healthcare database software, is cited as one example of a partnership influencing the choice of a platform.
Meanwhile, one real-world wireless application had its European debut at the 53rd annual EUHA conference, which was held in Leipzig, Germany, from 15 to 17 October. Developed by IntriCon Corp. (St. Paul, MN, USA), the nanoLink product is part of the company’s Bodynet wireless portfolio. Because of its size and functionality, it is well suited for a number of medical applications, according to the firm.
NanoLink is based on proprietary new radio technology and circuitry developed by IntriCon. The product line includes a radio module that combines a 405-MHz digital radio IC with an Orela digital signal processor (DSP) and 256-kbit EEPROM to store device-critical information. Also part of the line, a programming adapter enables wireless programming of any hearing aid containing the company’s DSP amplifier using a PC.
Working directly with customers and channelling R&D efforts to meet their specific needs is a core value at IntriCon, says president and CEO Mark S. Gorder. NanoLink is a direct result of that strategy, he adds.
“This product family not only will allow us to develop smaller, more-advanced hearing health devices, but it also enables future medical applications including the biotelemetry of critical diagnostic and therapeutic information,” says Gorder. Several related experimental projects are currently underway, according to the firm.
For more information about the Wireless Healthcare 2008 report, contact Wireless Healthcare, 20 Leaden Hill, Orwell, Royston, Herts SG8 5QH, UK; phone: + 44 1223 208 926; fax: +44 1223 208 098; Internet: www.wirelesshealthcare.co.uk. To learn more about nanoLink technology, contact IntriCon Corp., 1260 Red Fox Rd., Arden Hills, MN 55112, USA; phone: +1 651 636 9770; fax: +1 651 636 9503; Internet: www.intricon.com.
