The University of Texas has utilised the analogue technology of Texas Instruments (TI) to develop wireless vital sign monitoring systems of people at home or patients at hospitals.

The monitoring technology is part of the portable medical electronics design simplified by embedded high performance analogue of TI. The wireless integration of low powered radio frequency device has the ability to remotely monitor vital parameters of patient which include blood pressure, oxygen, weight and temperature. The technology is useful and reliable in remote areas.

The wireless device is placed at a person or patient's house. It is connected to a remote monitoring system that is linked to a computer or a cell phone of a healthcare provider which tracks the vital signs of a person or a patient who is living alone.

The vital sign readings are transmitted wirelessly through a fixed infrastructure of routing nodes to a central monitoring system. Depending on the patient's distance from the hospital, messages pass through multiple router nodes to reach the healthcare provider. In case of an emergency, immediate medical attention can be provided such as a call to send an ambulance or contact the nearest medical service near the patient to give the required treatment before being shifted to a full-fledged hospital, Dr. Dinesh Bhatia, associate professor, Centre for Integrated Circuits and Systems, department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas, told Pharmabiz

The objective of the research and development of this technology is to support a growing aged population who are living alone. In fact, the US is bogged down by an increasing number of aged population and India will soon catch up on the same lines within 3 to 4 decades.

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are emerging as the preferred choice for remote patient monitoring, stated Dr. Bhatia who was in India for the TI Developer Conference (TIDC) in Bangalore. "Although the vital parameter monitoring system is not yet available in the market, efforts are on to upscale the technology and discussions have begun on the possible migration of this technology with some OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). In the next three to four years, we would actually see them operational," he informed.

The key advantages of the technology is that it is affordable and require no advanced intelligent systems and users need not be trained to operate. Remote monitoring of vital signs could actually prevent hospitalisation. It is economical because early warning signs in vital parameters can actually save the patient from fatal conditions.

"We now have an understanding of the low cost technology and with the support from TI could strengthen the medical technology offerings. Our effort is to provide cost-effective solutions not only for the developed world but for developing countries of Africa and India where such affordable wireless devices could be capitalized in rural healthcare setting.

In the area of medical technology, trends in the US clearly indicate that the research is targeted towards development of affordable remote medicine. This is because more than half of the world does not have access to healthcare, pointed out Dr. Bhatia.

Remote medicine will range from imaging to monitors. TI products will help developers easily create low-cost portable with high definition digital video devices which has applications in the medical market.