knowledge pool.

Imec
and Holst Centre, together with
TASS software professionals have
developed a mobile heart
monitoring system that allows to
view your electrocardiogram on an
Android mobile phone. The
innovation is a low-power interface
that transmits signals from a
wireless ECG (electrocardiogram or
heart monitoring)-sensor system to
an android mobile phone.
With this interface, imec, Holst
Centre and TASS are the first to
demonstrate a complete Body
Area Network (BAN) connected
to a mobile phone enabling
reliable long-term ambulatory
monitoring of various health
parameters such as cardiac
performance (ECG), brain activity
(EEG), muscle activity (EMG), etc.
The system will be demonstrated
at the Wireless Health
Conference in San Diego (US,
October 5-7).
The aging population, combined
with the increasing need for
care and the rising costs of
healthcare has become a
challenge for our society. Mobile
health, which integrates mobile
computing technologies with
healthcare delivery systems, will
play a crucial role in solving this
problem by delivering a more
comfortable, more efficient and
more cost-efficient healthcare.
Body Area Networks (BAN) are
an essential component of
mHealth. BANs are miniaturized
sensor networks; consisting of
lightweight, ultra low-power,
wireless sensor nodes which
continuously monitor physical and
vital parameters. They provide
long-term monitoring, while
maintaining user mobility and
comfort. For example patients
who are no longer compelled to
stay in a hospital could be
monitored at home.
The newly-developed low-power
interface wirelessly transmits
bio-signals retrieved by imec and
Holst Centre's Human++ BAN
sensor nodes to an Android
mobile phone where the data
are collected, stored, processed,
and sent over the internet to
make them available for
authorized users such as a
physician. The interface is based
on a standard Secure Digital
Input Output (SDIO) interface on
Android mobile phones, enabling
the integration of all the
features available on Google's
operating system (SMS, e-mail
and data transmission over the
internet, GPS to track user
location).
Moreover, the mobile phone's
hardware is extended to
operate with low-power
communication protocols and
low-power radios, enabling long-
term medical telemonitoring. As
the interface is based on the
Linux kernel, the system is also
easily portable on other Linux-
based devices, such as PDA's or
laptops. And, the system allows
configuration of thresholds on
the measured parameters and
automatic sending of alerts such
as SMS messages and e-mails
based on these values.
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted
(with editorial adaptations by
ScienceDaily staff) from materials
provided by Interuniversity
Microelectronics Centre
(IMEC) , via AlphaGalileo.
Need to cite this story in your
essay, paper, or report? Use
one of the following formats:
Interuniversity Microelectronics
Centre (IMEC) (2010, October 11).
Monitoring your health with your
mobile phone. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved January 24, 2011,
from http://
www.sciencedaily.com /
releases/2010/10/101005085500.htm
Note: If no author is given, the
source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not
intended to provide medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Views expressed here do not
necessarily reflect those of
ScienceDaily or its staff.
ECG signals wirelessly transmitted
to an Android mobile phone via a
low-power interface. (Credit:
Image courtesy of Interuniversity
Microelectronics Centre (IMEC))