Leuven (Belgium) and Eindhoven (The Netherlands)–Dec. 4, 2014– At next week’s mHealth Summit 2014, held Dec. 7-11 in Washington, D.C., nanoelectronics research center imec and Holst Centre will showcase at their booth (#610) a development kit based on an open hardware platform using a highly integrated multi-sensor data acquisition chip. The chip combines on-board digital signal processing with analog interfaces for multiple body sensors, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) and bio-impedance. The development kit is extremely small and light-weight and has an open sensor platform. The sensor platform can be fully customized with different sensors enabling the development of wearable and personal healthcare applications.
The development kit builds upon imec and Holst Centre’s ultra-low power multi-sensor data acquisition chip (MUSEIC). Its unique combination of high accuracy and ultra-low power allows reliable monitoring for several days with only a single battery. Additionally, its high integration enables smaller, more comfortable devices and innovative designs.
“One of the major limitations in the development of innovative personal healthcare applications is the availability of miniature and open hardware platform” said Chris Van Hoof, program director at imec. “Our development kit will offer application developers a miniature, light-weight, and customizable hardware platform, enabling application development and field studies.”
The development kit consists of a customizable sensor layer (including 3-lead ECG, bio-impedance, accelerometer and microphone), the MUSEIC chip, SD card storage, a Bluetooth (4.0) and Bluetooth low-energy compliant radio, and a separate ARM Cortex M4 processor. The MUSEIC chip is capable of collecting data from a wide range of on-body sensors (both analog and digital interfacing) and performing basic signal processing. It features analog interfaces optimized for three-channel ECGs, bio-impedance and tissue impedance. Additionally, a two-input general-purpose analog and six digital (SPI and I2C) interfaces allow the chip to connect to other sensors biomedical and physical sensors. A compact, low-power ARM® Cortex®-M0 processor is included to control the sensors and perform basic signal processing. Dedicated hardware accelerators handle matrix operations and motion artifact reduction, off-loading these tasks from the Cortex-M0 processor to improve performance and reduce power consumption.
In a typical use case collecting ECG, bio-impedance and 3-axis accelerometer data, the complete evaluation kit consumes on average only 10 m W – low enough for at least a few days of monitoring on a single battery charge.
Holst Centre and imec’s MUSEIC chip is available for interested parties through IP licensing. A ready-to-use development kit, comprising the chip, sensors and powerful off-chip processor for advanced feature extraction, is available to application developers for wearable health monitoring applications.
This press release can be downloaded at http://www2.imec.be/be_en/press/imec-news/imec-Holst-Centre-ECG-chip-Museic-development-kit.html
About imec
Imec performs world-leading research in nanoelectronics and photovoltaics. Imec leverages its scientific knowledge with the innovative power of its global partnerships in ICT, healthcare and energy. Imec delivers industry-relevant technology solutions. In a unique high-tech environment, its international top talent is committed to providing the building blocks for a better life in a sustainable society. Imec is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has offices in the Netherlands, Taiwan, US, China, India and Japan. Its staff of over 2,080 people includes more than 670 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2013, imec’s revenue (P&L) totaled 332 million euro. Further information on imec can be found at www.imec.be. Stay up to date about what’s happening at imec with the monthly imec magazine, available for tablets and smartphones (as an app for iOS and Android), or via the website www.imec.be/imecmagazine
Imec is a registered trademark for the activities of IMEC International (a legal entity set up under Belgian law as a “stichting van openbaar nut”), imec Belgium (IMEC vzw supported by the Flemish Government), imec the Netherlands (Stichting IMEC Nederland, part of Holst Centre which is supported by the Dutch Government), imec Taiwan (IMEC Taiwan Co.)and imec China (IMEC Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.) and imec India (Imec India Private Limited).
About Holst Centre
Holst Centre is an independent open-innovation R&D centre that develops generic technologies for Wireless Autonomous Transducer Solutions and for Systems-in-Foil. A key feature of Holst Centre is its partnership model with industry and academia around shared roadmaps and programs. It is this kind of cross-fertilization that enables Holst Centre to tune its scientific strategy to industrial needs.
Holst Centre was set up in 2005 by imec (Flanders, Belgium) and TNO (The Netherlands) with support from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Government of Flanders. It is named after Gilles Holst, a Dutch pioneer in Research and Development and first director of Philips Research.
Located on High Tech Campus Eindhoven, Holst Centre benefits from the state-of-the-art on-site facilities. Holst Centre has over 180 employees from around 28 nationalities and a commitment from more than 45 industrial partners.
Visit us at www.holstcentre.com
