Freescale Launches Comprehensive Healthcare AFE Platform to Reduce Application Development Time

    The rapid development of portable medical devices around the world is not only making it easier for consumers to get help from medical technology, but also providing end users with technologies that were previously unavailable at home, thus changing the entire healthcare industry. Medical device manufacturers have been facing challenges brought by the consumer market, including price sensitivity and time-to-market pressures. In order to simplify product development, reduce costs and accelerate time to market, Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) has launched a healthcare analog front end (AFE) reference design platform including hardware, schematics and software for easy product prototyping.

　　Freescale has introduced the Healthcare Analog Front-End Reference Platform, a comprehensive platform with hardware, schematics and software that helps reduce development time for healthcare applications.

　　The global medical device industry is developing rapidly. According to Espicom's latest industry research report, the industry's market size is expected to grow from US$164 billion in 2010 to US$228 billion by 2015. According to Gartner, portable consumer medical devices such as blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, insulin pumps and heart rate monitors are the fastest growing segment in the market.

　　“The consumerization of healthcare is putting tremendous pressure on medical device engineers. Sometimes these engineers are expected to complete designs in just a few months, and engineers appreciate vendors like Freescale making it easier and faster for them to do so,” said Steven Dean, director of vertical solutions marketing at Freescale. “With our healthcare-specific AFE reference design platform, engineers and external design firms can prototype products more easily and complete more projects in less time.”

　　Reduce development costs

　　Freescale Healthcare AFE Reference Design Platform is a highly integrated hardware and software development platform that helps reduce system cost, board size and complexity. The platform is based on the Kinetis K53 MCU, which includes an integrated analog front end (AFE) with all the functions needed to capture biosensing data. This integrated AFE includes a precise reference voltage, four high-performance amplifiers, and two high-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog (DAC) converter modules.

　　Freescale launches healthcare analog front-end reference platform

　　Based on Freescale's Tower System, the reference design platform includes the hardware and software needed to demonstrate or prototype an electrocardiogram (ECG), heart monitor, pulse oximeter, glucose monitor, blood pressure monitor, spirometer or a Doppler ultrasound stethoscope. Application-specific plug-in boards enable users to select their application and level of integration.

　　Six boards in the reference platform

　　MED-BPM, for blood pressure monitors

　　MED-STETH for digital stethoscope and fetal heart rate monitor

　　MED-EKG for electrocardiogram and heart rate monitoring

　　MED-SPI for spirometers

　　MED-SP02 for oximeter

　　MED-GLU, for blood glucose monitors

　　For customers who require higher performance and precision analog capabilities, Freescale and Linear Technology offer dedicated plug-in boards. These boards feature a variety of high-performance precision op amps and are specifically targeted at customers who need or prefer external analog solutions.

　　“We are pleased to collaborate with Freescale on this healthcare-specific platform,” said Erik Soule, vice president of Linear Technology’s Signal Conditioning Products Division. “The combination of Freescale’s powerful microcontroller technology and Linear Technology’s focus on high-performance op amps provides designers of healthcare equipment with easy-to-use components for a range of medical devices.”

　　Committed to the healthcare equipment market

　　Freescale has been committed to the healthcare equipment market and provides the highest level of support for the IC industry's technical infrastructure. Freescale has once again demonstrated its industry leadership by joining the Continua Health Alliance's technical working group, whose medical center of excellence focuses on developing new technologies and a strong partner ecosystem. In addition, Freescale's product long-term supply program also provides a large number of planned devices for the medical market, ensuring that these devices have a minimum of 15 years of supply guarantee.

　　Availability

　　Although not available for direct purchase, the Healthcare AFE reference design platform is available through Freescale sales representatives. For a demo and access to the reference design platform, please contact your local Freescale sales office. Visit http://www.freescale.com/healthcareAFE to get started on your next healthcare application design.