MEDICAL: TRENDS
communication protocols.
Combining more effective communication and smarter Edge processing is revolutionising how healthcare professionals monitor and treat patients by increasing perception and operation efficiency. Emerging devices include solutions that can monitor critical vitals, administer medications, and collect continuous data, enabling powerful insights into a person’s health in real time. 3. Telemedicine and remote healthcare The surge in telemedicine is a direct result of efforts to reduce strain on clinical settings by minimising patient visits to physical locations. This trend started when the demand for remote care solutions grew during the COVID-19 pandemic when telemedicine services emerged as a way to provide remote consultations, diagnostics, and even treatment without person-to-per- son contact. However, for telemedicine services to be successful, a secure and accurate connection is essential to protect patient
Figure 1. Murata’s compact Type 2EA measures just 12.5 × 9.4 × 1.2mm. (Source: Mouser Electronics)
This trend of shrinking medical technology has also given rise to dedicated medical wearables like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). Products like onsemi’s CEM102 Analog Front End (AFE) are designed specifically for very-low-power CGMs, The CEM102 features a small form factor and a high-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to ensure accurate monitoring with minimal current consumption. As engineers drive miniaturisation, the applications for wearable technologies will continue to grow, helping to better support healthcare providers. 5. Smart implants Smart implants are built on wearable technology applications, offering an innovative approach to patient monitoring by allowing real-time data transmission from within the body. These implants are being used in critical areas such as cardiac health, neurostimulation, and chronic pain management. Engineers designing these devices face major challenges to miniaturisation, reliability, biocompatibility, and battery life. However, innovations in energy-har- vesting technologies will allow new devices to operate without batteries by harnessing the power of a person’s movement. Further breakthroughs in PCB substrates will also fuel the development of new flexible electronic implants that can be
privacy and to provide healthcare professionals with the necessary
information. For engineers developing telemedicine services, secure wireless communication, reliable hardware, and enhanced perception technologies like high-resolution image sensors are essential. 4. Wearable medical devices Complementing remote healthcare, wearable medical devices are not a new trend, but recent technological advances have increased their value to healthcare providers considerably. Advancements in manufacturing processes have allowed for the miniaturisation of numerous key perception technologies, allowing new sensors to be integrated into smartwatches and fitness trackers without compromising the device’s size or battery life.
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