ADI Company launched clinical level four vital signs AFE, which is applicable to remote patient monitoring equipment

     Analog Devices, Inc. announced the MAX86178 Three-System Vital Sign Analog Front End (AFE), which measures four vital sign signals in one piece and simplifies the design of wearable remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices. The single-piece AFE integrates three measurement systems (optical, ECG, and bioimpedance) to capture four common vital signs: electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), heart rate (ECG or optical PPG), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and respiratory rate (using BioZ). The MAX86178 supports optical PPG and ECG synchronization timing to help measure derived health indicators.

     Medical device designers hope to reduce annual health-related costs by replacing office-based health monitoring systems with smaller, less power-efficient wireless devices that can be worn continuously at home or in the office. The MAX86178 tri-system AFE includes an optical PPG subsystem for heart rate and SpO2 measurement, a single-lead ECG subsystem, and a bioelectrical potential and bioimpedance (BioZ) subsystem for respiration rate measurement, replacing the previous discrete design. The device integrates multiple functions into a 2.6mm x 2.8mm package to support small volume vital sign measurement devices.

     In addition, the next generation wearable PRM needs to work at lower power consumption to support the use of smaller batteries or extend battery life to meet more convenient charging requirements. To support ultra-low power consumption, the MAX86178 provides configurable options for each subsystem to optimize battery life in specific application scenarios.

     "By integrating three health subsystems into a single silicon device, ADI has launched this sensor fusion product based on its DNA." "The AFE has struck a chord with the medical community by providing new possibilities for chronic disease management, infectious disease diagnosis, and remote monitoring," said Andrew Burt, Executive Business Manager, Industrial & Healthcare at Maxim Integrated®(now incorporated into Analog Devices). The MAX86178 supports smaller wearable devices, reducing the need for patient admissions, thereby improving care and reducing costs.

     In addition, ADI offers both the MAX20343 liter/buck regulator and the MAX20360 power management IC as a power optimization solution for the MAX86178.