Patient monitoring news

Optical sensor measures blood glucose through skin
Swiss research institute Empa and University Hospital Zurich have developed an optical sensor that measures blood sugar levels through the skin, without taking any blood. 23 Jan 2015

New Bluetooth Smart profile for blood glucose monitors
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has adopted the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Profile (CGM), developed by the Medical Device Working Group, to standardise data collection, measurement and delivery for Bluetooth Smart glucose monitors. 8 Jan 2015

Covidien achieves CE Mark for Nellcor SpO2 patient monitoring system
Covidien has announced EU approval for its Nellcor Bedside SpO2 Patient Monitoring System, PM100N. The system currently is available in the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia and New Zealand. 27 Nov 2014

Smartphone-based remote monitoring system for pregnancy-related diabetes wins prize
A system for remote monitoring of mothers with pregnancy-related diabetes using a smartphone and wireless-enabled blood glucose meter has won the Best Digital Initiative trophy in the Quality in Care Diabetes Awards. 20 Nov 2014

Technologies for advanced liver disease monitoring allow patients to stay at home
The EC-funded D-Liver project has  developed a remote support system for patients with advanced liver disease to monitor their condition at home and save regular trips to hospital for tests and appointments with consultants. 17 Nov 2014

Welch Allyn to add Gentag's NFC wireless technology to medical devices
Medical diagnostics device company Welch Allyn and Gentag, a pioneer in disposable wireless biosensors, have entered into an agreement to bring to market near field communications technology for medical devices and sensors 29 Oct 2014

Hospital records over 2.5 million patient monitor alarms in one month
A study of five intensive care units in the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Medical Center over 31 days recorded 2,558,760 unique alarms. Many were caused by a complex interplay of inappropriate user settings, patients’ conditions and computer algorithm deficiencies. 27 Oct 2014

Remote monitoring of heart failure patients via implants halves mortality
BIOTRONIK has announced that a clinical trial of its implant-based remote monitoring system has lead to significant clinical benefits for heart failure patients. 29 Aug 2014

Smartphones to be adapted to monitor and manage stress, nutrition and HIV infection
A multidisciplinary team headed by Cornell University has been awarded a $3million grant to combine microfluidics and smartphone technology for health monitoring and improving patient engagement in their healthcare. 20 Aug 2014

Western Sussex Hospitals to install acute kidney disease monitoring system
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in southern England is launching a project to monitor patients and alert clinical staff of patients at risk of kidney failure. 19 Aug 2014

COPD patients remotely monitored at home in rural Scotland
Tunstall Healthcare has partnered with Putting you First to implement a remote monitoring service for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Annan area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. 28 Feb 2014

Ultrasonic sensor is low-cost solution for analysing gas composition
Cambridge technology company TTP has developed a miniature gas sensor that cuts costs, size and power consumption compared to current technology. 31 Jan 2014

Electronic membrane monitors and treats patients through skin
An international team has developed an electronic circuit on a flexible membrane that adheres non-invasively to human skin and can contain a range of microdevices for sensing or delivering stimuli or drugs. 4 Dec 2013

Sagentia partners with Senseonics to develop glucose monitoring system
Sagentia Inc. has developed an iPhone app for the Senseonics glucose monitoring system to provide self-management assistance to diabetes patients. 1 Oct 2013

Isansys markets Patient Status Engine plug-and-play monitoring system
Isansys Lifecare Limited has announced the market availability of its Patient Status Engine, a plug-and-play continuous wireless vital signs monitoring system. 1 Oct 2013

Virtual monitoring by mobile phone ensures TB patients complete medication
Sending videos by mobile phone is an effective technique to ensure TB patients take their prescribed medication and complete their course of treatment. 13 Sept 2013

Project to design low-cost digital healthcare assistants for the home
The SPHERE project is a collaboration between universities, industry and a local council that will develop simple home sensor systems to monitor the health and wellbeing of people living at home. 7 June 2013

Paper thin transistor measures heart health
A postage-stamp-sized heart monitor developed at Stanford University is thin enough to be worn under a plaster on the wrist and is sensitive enough to help diagnose cardiovascular problems. 28 May 2013

Bio-patch monitors body's electrical signals
The Bio-patch sensor measures bioelectrical signals through the skin, gathering data on the brain, heart or muscle, depending on where it is placed. 23 Apr 2013

Health awareness to quadruple MEMS sensor market for wearable electronics
Shipments of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors are forecast to more than quadruple in just five years due to demand for devices from health-conscious consumers. 22 Apr 2013

Fujitsu and National University Singapore to develop body sensor network for health monitoring
The initial objectives involve developing a wireless body sensor network for continuous patient monitoring in hospital and the home, and connected to a “health cloud”. 13 Dec 2012

Aviation monitoring system adapted to assess vital signs of critically ill patients
Researchers from Manchester and Lancaster are investigating whether system monitoring tools pioneered in aviation security can be used to help prevent complications in patients after surgery. 21 Aug 2012

Covidien announces US FDA clearance of Nellcor respiration rate software
The Company plans a limited market release in the US, starting this month, which will allow select hospitals to be the first to use the new technology.  18 Apr 2012

Isansys Lifecare achieves CE Mark for LifeTouch Patient Surveillance System
The LifeTouch is a cloud-ready medical device, and the first to be certified as a Class IIa medical device under the European Medical Device Directive (MDD). 18 Apr 2012

Management of glaucoma improved by measurement of eye pressure at home
A study by Duke Eye Center has found that it is feasible to measure intraocular pressure of children with glaucoma at home using a tonometer. 7 Mar 2012

New 7-day body monitor patch to aid wellness initiatives
BodyMedia and Avery Dennison Medical Solutions have announced the development of a body monitor patch for gathering physiological data for health and wellness management. 19 Jan 2012

Medtronic launches mySentry remote glucose monitor
The monitor is aimed at home use to allow a parent or caregiver to monitor from another room a patient’s MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time Revel System. 17 Jan 2012

AirStrip Technologies gains CE mark for patient monitoring systems
AirStrip Technologies, Inc. has received EU approval for its mobile patient monitoring applications and will now market its devices in Europe and other international territories. 17 Jan 2012

Hidalgo launches new range of Equivital vital signs monitor
Wireless innovations company Hidalgo has launched its latest range of mobile vital signs monitors, the Equivital EQ02 LifeMonitor. 29 Nov 2011

Max Medical to show new range of diagnostic and monitoring devices at Medica 2011
Max Medical are displaying a range of new products at Medica in Dusseldorf in November, including first aid kits, blood glucose monitoring devices, and blood pressure monitors.

Welsh project to develop blood glucose monitor that can text alert in emergency
Scientists from Swansea University and Welsh companies are developing a non-invasive blood glucose monitor that will send a text alert when there is danger of a hypoglycaemic attack. 8 Sept 2011

Isansys Lifecare launches low cost, low power wireless ECG cardiac monitor
British medical services startup, Isansys Lifecare Limited, has announced the world's first commercially available, clinical-grade, wireless cardiac monitor to support low cost continuous ECG heart monitoring. 21 July 2011

Plessey Semiconductors wins award for novel electric field sensor technology
The EPIC sensor is a completely new area of sensor technology that measures changes in an electric field in a similar way to a magnetometer detecting changes in a magnetic field. 9 June 2011

Radar on a chip helps prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Researchers at the Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, have developed a microchip sensor incorporating a radar that can detect a person’s respiratory rate remotely. 25 May 2011

Isansys Lifecare launches LifeTouch body-worn wireless cardiac monitor
UK company Isansys Lifecare Limited has launched the LifeTouch HRV011, a cardiac monitor that adheres to the patient’s body and analyses the ECG signal of the patient's heartbeat in unprecedented detail. 19 May 2011

Cambridge Temperature Concepts represents Europe in technology competition
Cambridge University offshoot CTC, developer of the non-invasive DuoFertility fertility monitor, is representing Europe as one of six global finalists in the Qualcomm Ventures’ QPrize competition. 1 March

Real-time vital signs data provider Isansys Lifecare makes company debut
The new business will focus on providing continuous, real-time patient data to healthcare professionals using the Isansys Lifecare Platform. 28 Jan

Innovation award for wireless fertility monitor and non-contact vital signs monitor
Two UK emerging medical technology businesses, Cambridge Temperature Concepts and PneumaCare, won awards at the Discovering Start-Ups 2010 last month. 21 Jan 2011

Philips announces new COPD alliance and medical innovations at Medica 2010
Philips new alliance is expected to result in better treatment access for patients. It is also displaying innovations for operating rooms, healing lighting, patient monitoring and cardiac ultrasound. 17 Nov 2010

The sanofi-aventis BG Star blood glucose monitorsanofi-aventis announces blood glucose monitor for diabetes self management
sanofi-aventis has announced the upcoming launch of the compact blood glucose monitoring devices BGStar and iBGStar for easy management of diabetes. 21 Oct 2010

Anaxsys launches respiR8 continuous respiratory rate counter
Surrey-based Anaxsys Ltd has launched the first product based on its novel sensor technology, respiR8, the world’s first continuous electrochemical respiratory rate counter. 15 Oct 2010

The anaesthesia cockpit used in remote anaesthesiaWorld’s first remote anaesthesia across continents
A world first was achieved by McGill University’s Department of Anesthesia on August 30, 2010, when they treated patients undergoing thyroid gland surgery in Pisa, Italy remotely from Montreal, Canada. 10 Sept 2010

Implanted sensor continuously transmits blood glucose levels for insulin control
A glucose sensor implanted under the skin that transmits glucose measurements continuously to an external device has been successfully tested for over 500 days, but only in a pig so far. 2 August 2010

BAE Systems wins $17m US army contract for head-worn brain injury sensor
BAE Systems has received an initial order of $17 million from the US Army for its Headborne Energy Analysis and Diagnostic Systems (HEADS) to help address combat-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI). These are rapidly becoming a signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. 14 July 2010

Boston Scientific enrols first patient in multisensor CRT clinical trial
Boston Scientific Corporation has enrolled the first patient in its MultiSENSE clinical trial. The trial is designed to evaluate multiple physiologic sensors in the Company's Cognis cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators. 12 July 2010

Intelligent wearable sensors to monitor disease and diagnose problems
Researchers at the University of Southampton are developing intelligent medical sensors that can be worn by patients to monitor their symptoms and alert a healthcare professional if medical intervention is needed. 23 June 2010

Analog Devices launches MEMS gyroscope for harsh environments
Analog Devices has developed the high-performance, low-power ADXRS450 iMEMS gyroscope with digital output specifically for rotational sensing in harsh environments. 12 June 2010

CardioTrace monitors cardiovascular health by measuring arterial blood flow
Advanced Global Health has launched CardioTrace, a non-invasive device that monitors the blood flow in finger arteries to identify fitness levels and abnormalities. 12 June 2010

Cellnovo and Home Diagnostics form alliance to advance diabetes monitoring
London-based Cellnovo and US company Home Diagnostics, Inc. have formed a strategic alliance to integrate their diabetes care technologies and develop distribution opportunities for Cellnovo’s insulin patch pumps. 8 June 2010

LynuxWorks and Portwell develop wireless body sensor platform for patient monitoring
The proof-of-concept platform can connect to more than 25 Bluetooth wireless biometric sensors and has the ability to graphically portray patient sensor data for visual monitoring in a familiar Windows environment. 1 June 2010

Spacelabs Healthcare launches Ultraview vital signs monitor
Spacelabs Healthcare has launched the Ultraview DM3 dual-mode vital signs monitor for adult and paediatric patients. It monitors SpO2, pulse rate, non-invasive blood pressure, respiration and temperature. 4 May 2010

Computer program solves problem of measuring blood flow to brain in real time
Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a program that retrieves and correlates relevant data from patients, making it possible for the first time to measure blood flow in the brain directly and continuously. 26 March 2010

Aerotel launches wireless telehealth systems for remote patient monitoring
Aerotel Medical Systems, a global supplier of advanced remote monitoring solutions for personal telehealth and telecare, has launched new innovative wireless telehealth and homecare solutions. 15 Dec 2009

St Trudo Hospital tracks patients and devices with WiFi system
St Trudo Hospital in Belgium is tracking the location of ambulatory patients and Wi-Fi devices. Patients are tracked either by having AeroScout Tags or by wearing Dräger Wi-Fi telemetry monitors. 2 December 2009

Toumaz Technology named emerging technology company of the year
Toumaz Technology Limited, producer of ultra-low power wireless infrastructure for body monitoring solutions has been named “Emerging Technology Company of the Year” by the National Microelectronics Institute (NMI), the premier trade association representing the semiconductor industry in the UK and Ireland. November 2009

Europe Remote Patient Monitoring Market
The report identifies the key trends shaping and driving the dynamism in the Europe remote patient monitoring market. The report also provides insight on the prevalent competitive landscape and on the emerging players which are expected to bring significant shift in the market standing of the existing leaders. The report also provides valuable insight on the pipeline products within the Europe remote patient monitoring market. more ...

Digital pens improve treatment of acute diabetes at Bethesda Hospital, Stuttgart
Mobile technology is helping patients with acute diabetes manage their illness more effectively so that long-term complications associated with the illness can be treated earlier. 18 November 2009

Tomorrow Options exhibits WalkinSense mobility monitor for diabetics at Medica
WalkinSense is an easy to use wireless portable device that gathers and processes data of lower limb movements during walking, measuring both diabetic patient mobility patterns and plantar pressure. 16 Nov 2009

Biotronik launches Evia pacemaker in Europe
Berlin-based Biotronik SE & Co. KG, has launched in Europe its new, unified platform pacemaker series, Evia, and several new products to further strengthen its bradycardia portfolio. The Evia pacemaker has wireless remote monitoring and follow-up capabilities. 13 November 2009

Doctors renew warning over use of h ome fetal heart monitors
Doctors have issued a further warning to expectant parents not to use over-the-counter fetal heart monitors (Doppler devices) at home because they can lead to false reassurance and delays in seeking medical help. 6 Nov 2009

Toumaz Technology conducts clinical trial of Sensium-enabled wireless body monitor
The trial of the ultra-low power, ultra-small body monitoring system is being conducted by a team at Imperial College London to demonstrate the high quality physiological data that can be acquired by such a system. 3 November 2009

US Army awards LiveData grant to develop integrated clinical 'plug and play' patient safety system
The US Army Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center has awarded a $730,000 research grant to LiveData, Inc. to develop an integrated clinical environment (ICE). The results are expected to benefit patients throughout the continuum of care including improvement in workflow, reductions in medical errors in particular and healthcare costs in general. 14 Oct 2009

Diabetech selects Cinterion wireless modules for GlucoMON diabetes management system
The 4th generation GlucoMON device uses Cinterion’s TC65 Terminal and works in conjunction with Diabetech’s Automated Diabetes Management System (ADMS), which helps manage and control blood glucose levels and change behaviour to avoid potentially deadly consequences of diabetes. 14 Oct 2009

Revolutionary fertility monitor helps couples conceive without IVF
DuoFertility is a groundbreaking new fertility monitor developed by that helps women to maximise their chances of conceiving naturally without resorting to fertility treatment. 14 Oct 2009

Omron unveils blood pressure monitor modules for OEM applications
Two new blood pressure monitoring modules can be easily integrated into new or existing medical device manufacturers' OEM systems, one aimed at hospital grade devices and a lower-cost option for high accuracy home and telemedicine environments. 2 Oct 2009

UTAS chooses ADI Blackfin processors for patient monitoring and diagnostics devices
Patient  monitoring and diagnostics device manufacturer UTAS has selected Analog Devices' Blackfin processors to ensure high-performance digital signal processing operations and robust functionality across its full line of products. 2 Oct 2009

The Micropaq monitorHandheld cardiac monitors reduce risk for cardiac surgery patients at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Handheld devices that monitor blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels, have been put in place in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) to prevent complications, such as cardiac arrest and deep vein thrombosis. 2 Oct 2009

St Jude Medical announces European launch of remote cardiac care network
The Merlin.net Patient Care Network (PCN) is a secure, Internet-based remote care system for patients with implanted medical devices. It gathers and stores data from the implant procedure, in-clinic follow-up visits and from remote transmissions sent from a patient’s home. 5 Sept 2009

New TRUST trial data confirms clinical benefits of home cardiac monitoring
Trial data demonstrates the benefits of the Biotronik Home Monitoring system in the early detection of patient clinical events as well as the safe reduction of in-office follow-up visits. 5 Sept 2009. Deutsch

t+ blood pressure lite enables monitoring of patients' blood pressure at home
Oxford University spin-out t+ Medical has launched t+ blood pressure lite, which enables healthcare professionals to effectively monitor their patients’ blood pressure without patients having to leave their home. 28 August 2009

Covidien launches alarm management system for Nellcor pulse oximeter
Covidien has announced the global launch of its Alarm Management System for the Nellcor OxiMax N-600x pulse oximeter. It alerts hospital staff to periods of desaturation and potentially worrisome signal patterns. 17 June 2009

Aircraft Medical acquires anaesthesia monitoring technology from Morpheus Medical
Morpheus' lead product, the IoC-View, is designed to measure the level of consciousness during general anaesthesia, helping to avoid the risk of patients remaining conscious. 17 June 2009

St Jude Medical gains EU approval for remote care system for implantable cardiac devices
St Jude Medical's Merlin.net Patient Care Network (PCN) is a secure, Internet-based remote care system that gathers and stores data from the implant procedure, a clinic follow-up visit or from remote follow-up transmissions of patients with implanted cardiac devices. 7 May 2009

MEDai launches patient-specific early warning system for hospitals
The early-warning system, Pinpoint Review, generates predictions for acute-care patients, focusing on the likelihood of a patient developing a complication, like decubitus ulcers, acquiring a hospital-acquired infection or being readmitted. 22 April 2009

St Mary’s Hospital unveils advanced intensive care units
St Mary’s Hospital in London, has opened a leading-edge intensive care unit that enables 24/7 patient observation and monitoring, automated visitor management and videoconferencing between staff and consultants, operated from the patient's bedside. 10 April 2009

GE introduces Carescape platform for wireless patient monitoring
GE Healthcare's Carescape Telemetry platform builds enables hospitals to simultaneously leverage multiple telemetry frequencies and co-ordinate cell phone, Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies on one infrastructure. 9 April 2009

OrSense receives EU approval for non-invasive haemoglobin and pulse oximetry monitoring system
OrSense Ltd has received a European CE Mark for its NBM-200MP, a multi-parameter sensor for non-invasive continuous hemoglobin, low signal oximetry and pulse rate measurements. 8 April 2009

Patients and nurses benefit from in-bed patient monitoring system
The system comprises a mattress coverlet which is embedded with sensors that measure heart rate, respiratory rate and provides a bed-exit alert for fall prevention. 6 April 2009

GE develops wireless sensing platform for neonatal and home health monitoring
GE Global Research, the technology development arm of GE, has announced that it has adapted its sensors for home security into an innovative, intelligent wireless medical sensing platform. If successful, this new platform could dramatically improve neonatal and home patient monitoring. 15 March 2009

Masimo files lawsuit against Philips for pulse oximetry patent infringement. 16 February 2009

Under skin sensor to monitor blood glucose of Type 1 diabetics
Diabetes experts based at Southampton General Hospital will fit the tiny devices to participants' stomachs and use them in conjunction with watch-like armbands, which will check participants' physical activity. 31 January 2009

ZOLL gains US clearance for R series code-ready defibrillator with WiFi option
ZOLL Medical Corporation has received US FDA clearance for its ZOLL R series code-ready clinical defibrillator with a WiFi option that allows wireless communication between the defibrillator and standard hospital networks to help ensure code-readiness and download patient data. 8 January 2009

Hidalgo physiological monitoring system gains CE approval
Produced by Jaltek Systems Equivital is an ambulatory, wearable, high performance physiological system providing continuous real-time visibility of an individual’s vital signs. 19 December 2008

Philips ranked first for patient monitoring systems in 2008
Royal Philips Electronics has announced that customers have again rated Philips Healthcare first in overall service performance for patient monitoring systems in the annual IMV ServiceTrak survey. 15 December 2008

Technology innovation award for OBS Medical's patient monitoring system
OBS Medical, a wholly-owned subsidiary of British company Oxford BioSignals, has been awarded the prestigious 2008 North American Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation Award for its Visensia early-warning patient monitoring system. 15 December 2008

Masimo launches first non-adhesive pulse oximetry sensor for extremely low birth weight babies
Masimo's new SofTouch disposable pulse oximetry sensor is designed  for the fragile skin and size of extremely low birth weight infants  (<500 grams-1,000 grams). 12 November 2008

New technologies and ehealth will add $1.4 Billion to US diabetic care market
New technology-enabled monitoring solutions and services will reshape the diabetic care market and earn $1.4 billion in product and service revenues by 2013, according to a new report from Parks Associates. 11 November 2008

CNSystems receives FDA approval for CNAP blood pressure monitor
Austrian company CNSystems Medizintechnik AG, has received US FDA approval to market its CNAP non-invasive and continuous blood pressure monitor 500 in the United States. 10 November 2008

Nonin Medical showcases first pulse oximeter pre-certified by Continua Health Alliance
Meeting Continua's guidelines for medical devices enables simple 'plug and play' integration, resulting in streamlined communications to help consumers and healthcare providers better manage personal health and wellness. 5 November 2008

Kit to design your own bio-feedback clothing
Textronics is offering a developer’s kit that includes the company’s textile electrodes for use by designers, researchers and product developers interested in creating their own interactive wearable prototypes. 1 October 2008

Picis launches critical care information system
Picis has launched eView for Critical Care Manager, part of the company's CareSuite family of software for intensive care units. The new product is designed to consolidate clinical information for the entire intensive care unit (ICU) patient census and present it in a concise, web-based view to help clinicians identify patients requiring attention. 23 September 2008

The Heart Guard cardiographEarly warning system for cardiac patients
Latvian company Integris Ltd, has developed an inexpensive, real-time heart activity monitor for personal use. The device is small enough to be worn continuously and can monitor both heart activity and the patient's physical activity and alerts the patient of abnormalities. 9 September 2008

Covidien acquires CardioDigital patient monitoring technology
Covidien has announced the acquisition of technology assets from CardioDigital Inc, a company specialising in the development of advanced signal processing for patient monitoring. 13 August 2008

Precise low-dose drug monitoring essential for long-term kidney transplant success
The ability of blood tests to precisely measure very low doses of anti-rejection drugs in kidney transplant patients may make a significant difference in assuring long-term viability and survival, according to research presented at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) annual meeting last week. 6 August 2008

American diabetics fight for right to continuous blood glucose monitors
A group of American diabetics has launched a campaign to get insurance companies to allow claims for continuous glucose monitoring systems. 3 August 2008

St Jude Medical wireless transmitter for implanted cardiac devices gains FDA approval
The Merlin@home transmitter is a wireless system that transmits data from implanted cardiac devices and enables remote monitoring of patients by medical staff. 2 August 2008

Nonin Medical develops cerebral oximeter
Nonin Medical has entered the clinical testing phase with its breakthrough technology to measure regional oxygen saturation, which is most commonly applied to continuous monitoring of oxygenation in the brain. 1 August 2008

Patient monitoring built in to dementia care home
Birch Abbey, a care home for dementia patients in the English seaside resort of Southport, is being rebuilt with a broad range of care services and features, including integrated patient monitoring technology. 22 July 2008

Philips launches affordable compact patient monitors for emerging markets
Philips has launched the SureSigns VM3 series of portable, compact patient monitors aimed at smaller clinics in developing countries. 22 July 2008

t+ Medical acquires Vivatec Ltd
Oxford-based telecare company t+ Medical has acquired preventative telecare supplier Vivatec Ltd. The purchase of Vivatec will allow t+ Medical to expand by offering an integrated patient monitoring solution covering medical devices, communication technology and nurse call centres. 16 July 2008

First installations of Draeger's new wireless patient-worn monitors
Draeger's new Infinity M300 patient monitor has been installed at major hospitals in the United States and Germany. It provides the performance of a full-size patient monitor, packaged in a compact patient-worn telemetry device. 14 July 2008

The in-home patient device of the Intel Health Guide systemIntel receives FDA clearance for personal health system
The Intel Health Guide combines an in-home patient device that has interactive tools for personalised care management and can integrate patient-monitoring devices, and an online interface allowing clinicians to monitor patients and remotely manage care. 14 July 2008

SPO Medical launches pulse oximetry system with European language support
SPO Medical has released its PulseOx 7500 pulse oximetry system with support for a graphical user interface and report generation in multiple languages, including French, Italian, German and Spanish (FIGS) along with English. 7 July 2008

Nonin introduces Bluetooth wireless fingertip pulse oximeter
Nonin Medical has introduced the Bluetooth-enabled Onyx II Model 9560a. The device allows vital signs to be monitored by the patient and sent wirelessly through communication devices. 18 April 2008

A prototype sensor for measuring electrolyte concentration in sweatSmart clothing with fluid biosensors to monitor health
The European BIOTEX project has produced textiles with woven-in miniaturised biosensors that can analyse body fluids such as sweat to assess the wearer's state of health. 31 March 2008

Breakthrough in medical device interoperability with Vena wireless platform
Cambridge Consultants has announced the first demonstration of the emerging industry standards for medical device interoperability. The 'Vena' platform is a breakthrough software solution on a single chip that allows medical devices such as blood pressure monitors to transmit data wirelessly. 31 March 2008

Miniaturised patient monitor from Welch Allyn
The PropaqLT is a highly intuitive patient monitor that can communicate with any Windows 2000/XP PC via a USB port, allowing healthcare professionals to customise parameters and print tabular trends and snapshots of patient data. 5 February 2008

Transatlantic rower's diabetic challenge
Transatlantic rower Neil Hunter faces the extra challenge of managing his diabetes through the 3000 mile race. This will be done by using a compact blood glucose monitoring system, patient monitoring software on a laptop and transmitting data by satellite communications to a medical team back in Southampton, UK.

Saphire combines patient monitoring with clinical decision support
The EU-funded Saphire project is developing an intelligent healthcare monitoring and decision-support system on a platform integrating wireless medical sensor data with hospital information systems. 26 November

Amsterdam hospital monitors heart failure patients at home using Philips Motiva
The St Lucas Andreas Hospital in Amsterdam is to monitor more than a hundred chronic heart failure patients at home using the Philips Motiva system. This will not only improve these patients’ quality of life, but could also prevent many hospital admissions. 21 November 2007

Philips introduces mobile patient monitors for hospital and field use
Royal Philips Electronics has launched the IntelliVue MMS X2 and IntelliVue MP2 patient monitors designed for use around the hospital or for responding to an emergency in the field.
2 November

Philips introduces compact, multi-measurement patient monitors
The Philips IntelliVue MMS X2 is an enhanced multi-measurement module that can be used with any compatible Philips IntelliVue patient monitor. The IntelliVue MP2 patient monitor is a rugged, compact, full-featured patient monitor that offers clinical decision-support tools.  22 October 2007

Sugar biosensor could help diabetics continuously monitor blood glucose
A postgraduate student at Kalmar University in Sweden has designed biosensors that monitor the concentration of sugars in fluids. These sensors could be further developed to monitor blood sugar in diabetics. 17 October 2007

Dräger releases new software to integrate neonatal monitoring systems
The new software enables caregivers to view vital signs, respiration and thermo regulation data from multiple devices together on one screen at the bedside. 5 October

Pressure sensor on artificial lensPressure sensor for the eye
A sensor developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectric Circuits and Systems IMS  can monitor pressure in the eye, aiding the treatment of glaucoma. It also has potential to monitor blood pressure and incontinence. 20 September

Monitoring blood flowAutomated blood-flow monitoring may help prevent brain damage. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in the US and Cambridge University in England have designed a system to track potentially dangerous changes in blood flow to the brain in real time. It shows promise for preventing brain damage and death in children with head injuries. 10 September 2007

Eye implant to monitor glaucoma
A sensor for implanting in the eye to monitor glaucoma by measuring pressure in the eye's interior has been developed by researchers at Purdue University. 15 August 2007

Sensitron and Welch Allyn form alliance to provide patient monitoring
Medical products and solutions provider Welch Allyn has announced a new partnership with Sensitron UK, developers of software solutions for patient monitoring. 29 June 2007

GE receives FDA clearance for Carescape patient data-capture module
The module is small enough to stay with the patient to capture and store all patient measurements and ensures that the receiving nurse has a complete monitoring history when a patient arrives. 30 May 2007

The Zarlink ZL70101 system on a chipZarlink introduces implantable wireless system-on-a-chip
The new ZL 70101 transceiver chip, which delivers high data rates, low power consumption and unique wake-up circuitry, is designed for use in both implanted medical devices and monitoring base stations. 11 May 2007

Philips and Misys collaborate in home telemonitoring solutions
The companies intend to develop an integrated software platform that will enable care agencies to provide high quality care to chronically ill patients at home, including the remote monitoring of patients’ health status to provide operational efficiencies. 10 May 2007

Philips awarded telecare contract by Visiting Nurse Associations of America
Philips Consumer Healthcare Solutions has been awarded a contract as the “preferred provider” for telehealth products and services for Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) members. 3 May 2007

Remote monitoring improves clinical outcomes for heart patients
According to Australian and Canadian research, remote monitoring for patients with chronic heart failure helped reduce heart failure admissions to hospitals and lowered all cause mortality by nearly 20%. 30 April 2007

Medtronic launches continuous glucose monitoring system for diabetics
The new system helps protect diabetes patients from high and low glucose levels, and maintain tighter glucose control. Features include predictive and rate-of-change alarms and expanded trend graphs. 24 April 2007

Philips bedside patient monitors give evidence-based care guidance
Royal Philips Electronics has introduced ProtocolWatch, an application for its IntelliVue patient monitors that analyses patient monitoring data using evidence-based care protocols and gives guidance on screen. 19 April 2007

Philips unveils networked patient monitor combined with defibrillator
The Philips HeartStart MRx can serve as a wireless transport monitor/defibrillator or cardiac bedside monitor/defibrillator with built-in pacing, synchronized cardioversion and defibrillation capabilities. 23 February 2007

Home blood-pressure monitor market to reach $1bn by 2010
The world market for home-use digital blood pressure monitors is worth almost $800 million. The increase in hypertension and use of telehealth will lead to growth of 6.7% per year, taking it to $1 billion by 2010, according to a report by InMedica. 30 Jan 2007

The Dräger Medical  Infinity TeleSmart patient monitorDräger introduces patient-worn monitor with wireless telemetry
The Infinity TeleSmart from Dräger Medical provides the performance of a full-size patient monitor, packaged in a patient-worn telemetry device. 6 Dec 2006

Dräger acute care system integrates patient monitoring, therapy and information management
The Dräger Infinity Acute Care System offers a completely new approach to managing and delivering care across the entire acute care continuum. All devices have the same base hardware and software architecture, user interface and nomenclature. 24 Nov 2006

Dräger adopts Masimo pulse oximetry platform
Dräger Medical has expanded its partnership with Masima and will integrate the Masimo Rainbow SET platform as its principal pulse oximetry patient monitoring technology. 21 Nov 2006

Esaote harnesses TI DSP chips to deliver new range of medical diagnostic systems. 20 Nov 2006

Boston Scientific's remote monitoring system first to integrate to GE's electronic records
Boston Scientific's Latitude Patient Management is the first remote patient monitoring system to provide clinicians with direct device data integration capability into GE's Centricity Electronic Medical Record (EMR). 16 Nov 2006

Radi Medical Systems sells 1200th RadiAnalyzer patient monitor. 29 Oct 2006

Philips introduces non-invasive foetal monitor for triplets
The Philips Avalon FM20 antepartum monitors and Avalon FM30 intrapartum monitors use three channels of high-quality ultrasound tracing and check coincidence between the heart rates of the mother and all foetuses to help ensure each foetus is being monitored. 27 Oct 2006

First European implants of Ramon pulmonary artery pressure monitor
The Remon ImPressure hemodynamic monitor offers on-demand, non-invasive, wireless self-monitoring of pulmonary artery pressure by the patient at home. 18 October 2006 Deutsch Francais

Ultrasound blood flow monitor improves recovery time after surgery
The CardioQ blood-flow monitor from Deltex Medical allows clinical teams to better manage patients during surgery and reduce complications. This shortens the time patients spend in hospital and results in large savings in the costs of patient care. 18 Sept 2006

Touch-free life-sign monitoring by video camera
CNOGA Inc. has developed contact-free physiological monitoring by using a simple video camera. The new technology can detect pulse rate, blood pressure, blood O2, CO2 and more from a distance by focusing on the patient’s skin. 4 Sept 2006

Bluetooth biosensing wristwatch monitors heart rate, activity and emotions
Exmovere LLC, has launched a Bluetooth-enabled biosensor wristwatch service in the USA for monitoring the elderly to aid in their care. The Exmocare wristwatch monitors pulse, heart rate variability, skin conductance and level of activity. 25 July 2006

Bracelet with GSM and GPS alerts when Alzheimers patients wander
Medical Mobile and Orange have developed the Columba telephone bracelet which integrates mobile phone and geographic location technology in a watch-sized device that a patient can wear on the wrist. An alarm is signalled when a patient leaves a safe area. 28 June 2006  Deutsch Italiano

Non-invasive sensor measures blood haemoglobin by optical analysis of finger
A non-invasive haemoglobin/hematocrit monitoring system developed by OrSense Ltd has been shown to accurately measure levels of haemoglobin/hematocrit in both hospital and ambulatory settings. 25 June 2006

Medtronic launches implantable cardiac devices with wireless telemetry in Europe
Medtronic has announced European approval and market availability of its Concerto and Virtuoso line of implantable cardiac defibrillators, its first such devices with wireless telemetry for remote monitoring of patient health. 19 June 2006

The Beta Sensatex SmartShirt makes it possible to remotely monitor a wearer's movement, heart rate, and respiration rate in real-time. (PRNewsFoto/ Sensatex, Inc.)SmartShirt for remotely monitoring human vital signs
The SmartShirt from Sensatex  can remotely monitor a wearer's movement, heart rate, and respiration rate in real-time through a patented nanotechnology conductive fibre grid that is seamlessly knit into the material of the fully washable shirt. 18 May 2006

Wireless sensors for monitoring healing of fractures and performance of artificial joints in vivo
A system of wireless sensors implanted in biological tissue is being developed by IntelliJoint for dynamic measurements of displacements in vivo, in real time. The system is designed for clinical use such as monitoring healing of fractures and fusion, and evaluating the performance of artificial implants of hip, knee and shoulder joints. 4 April 2006

Continuous glucose monitor accelerates development of artificial pancreas
US government approval of another medical device that continuously monitors glucose is an important step in the development of an artificial pancreas. It also has the potential to greatly improve the quality of diabetes care and lower the risk of complications. 31 March 2006

A Barnsley patient using the Docobo hand-held deviceBarnsley telehealth service monitors heart failure patients in the home
Barnsley Hospital is trialling an innovative telehealth service that will monitor the health of 40 chronic heart failure patients in their homes over 12 months. Patients use a hand-held device to answer a range of pertinent health and quality-of-life questions, supplemented with medical parameters including blood pressure and weight. 28 March 2006

Cisco, Philips, and Emergin collaboration delivers wireless patient monitoring
Clinicians can receive mobile medical alarms, such as electrocardiogram alerts on wireless Internet Protocol (IP) phones, as a result of developments in Cisco's Clinical Connection Suite. 23 February 2006

Low power motion sensor based on microchip technology
A University of Florida engineer has developed a small, easy to manufacture motion sensor that could help popularize the sensors as standard equipment in personal electronics, medical devices and other applications. The sensor which measures about 3 square millimetres is extremely sensitive and draws a tiny amount of power. 21 February 2006

Simple blood monitoring system could save NHS millions and improve surgery
The technology has a proven track record in significantly reducing post-operative death and infections, but the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has ruled that the technology falls outside its remit. 20 February 2006

GE to distribute MP4 remote foetal and maternal monitoring system for PDA
Obstetricians can monitor foetal heart tracings, maternal contraction patterns, and other critical, virtual real-time data from labour and delivery units on their PDAs and mobile phones with the Airstrip OB system. 9 February 2006

Philips introduces two patient-monitor ranges
Royal Philips Electronics has announced two new ranges of patient monitors. The SureSigns VM Series for flexible care and in-hospital transport monitoring and the Avalon line of obstetrical care foetal and maternal monitors. 7 February 2006

Electronic nurse' helps housebound patients stay out of hospital
The Home Health Agency of New York's Montefiore Medical Center  is using a new hi-tech interactive disease management system, dubbed the "electronic nurse", to supplement regular nursing visits to the homes of congestive heart failure patients to help monitor their vital signs. 13 January 2006

Dräger Medical and Masimo Corporation introduce new pulse oximetry technology
The Masimo SET SpO2 SmartPod pulse oximetry technology for Dräger Infinity patient monitors was unveiled at Medica 2005 mid November. 30 November 2005

Remote cardiac monitoring network reaches 50,000 patients
The Medtronic CareLink Network has enrolled 50,000 patients and registered over 120,000 data downloads since its launch in 2002. The system allows patients to receive expert medical advice from their physician while at home or travelling. 18 November 2005

Non-invasive blood glucose monitoring device shows positive results in trials
Israeli start-up company Glucon announced the recent trial results of its flagship product, Aprise, a continuous, non-invasive, glucose monitoring device. Results were  presented at Medica this week. 18 November 2005

Point-of-care I.V. medication management solution launched by Cerner and Hospira
The solution integrates the Hospira MedNet intraveinous medication management system with Cerner's bar code point-of-care (BPOC) system, CareGuard. It uses wireless technology to connect bedside medical devices to hospital IT systems and can eliminate the need to manually enter medications, doses and infusion rates, thereby reducing opportunities for clinical errors. 4 November 2005

ConMed introduces multifunction electrodes
ConMed Corporation has introduced PadPro, a comprehensive range of multifunction electrodes used in critical care and minimally invasive procedures. 1 November 2005

Non-invasive blood pressure technology reliable during surgery
Medwave has announced that a study published in Anesthesia & Analgesia shows that its Vasotrac non-invasive blood pressure monitor is a reliable alternative to cuff and direct arterial measurements during routine surgical cases. 22 October 2005

New battery technology extends life of implantable medical devices
New battery technology based on organosilicon that extends the life of lithium batteries has been developed by the University of Wisconsin - Madison. It will lead to longer lasting and smaller batteries for powering implantable devices such as defibrillators and the new breed of nerve microstimulators. 5 October 2005

Computer-assisted anaesthesia for children and newborns
Dräger Medical has developed a computer-assisted anaesthesia system with a small system volume that can deliver the exact amount of gas needed for the patient, making it suitable for use in paediatric ventilation. 16 September 2005

Dräger unveils remote-access solution for monitoring cardiopulmonary status
Dräger Medical has developed a new system that enables physicians to remotely access their patients' cardiopulmonary status in near real time by using an integrated remote access solution. 1 September 2005

Trial of  gastric electrical stimulation for treatment of obesity in diabetes patients
Medtronic has announced that it is conducting a feasibility trial, called ASSIST (Appetite Suppression Induced by Stimulation Trial), to test the safety and efficacy of gastric electrical stimulation (GES) for the treatment of obesity in patients with type 2 diabetes. 20 August 2005

New laser therapy for tendon and muscle injuries
MLS (Multiwave Locked System) is a new therapy based on the transfer of high quality laser energy to injured body tissues. 14 August 2005

St Jude Medical's remote patient monitoring system receives FDA approval
The new version of software for the St Jude Medical's Housecall Plus remote patient monitoring system has received approval from the United States FDA. The system monitors implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients. 21 July 2005

Space Shuttle astronauts' health on space walks monitored with GE technology
The health of the astronauts will be monitored in real time during  space walks using GE Healthcare's advanced monitoring and networking technology. 21 July 2005

Biofeedback device for improving gait
Andante Medical Devices Ltd has released its first product, SmartStep, to improve the gait of patients undergoing rehabilitation during recovery from  neurological, orthopaedic, and other disorders affecting the lower limb. 5 July 2005

Continuous glucose monitoring can help patients manage type 1 diabetes
Results of a pilot study using Medtronic's Guardian RT Continuous Glucose Monitoring System show participants actively used real-time glucose readings to better control glucose fluctuations. 29 June 2005

Clinical study of Philips' Motiva interactive healthcare system in Rotterdam. 29 June 2005

Study shows viability of monitoring chronic disease patients via interactive TV at home
A pilot study monitoring chronic heart failure patients at home using a set-top box connected to a TV, broadband, and wireless devices has found acceptance by patients and medical staff. The interactive healthcare platform, called Motiva, has been developed by Philips. 29 June 2005

Shock wave therapy gives remarkable results in wound healing and curing myocardial diseases
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy has demonstrated impressive results not only in orthopaedics and traumatology, but also in treating fresh and chronic wounds as well as circulatory disorders of the myocardial muscle. 8 June 2005

Philips introduces new IntelliVue wireless telemetry system for patient monitoring
Royal Philips Electronics' new IntelliVue Telemetry System features bidirectional communication between patient-worn transceivers and bedside monitors, and a central station with remote clinician access using cellular technology in the 1.4GHz WMTS band. 19 May 2005

Medtronic evaluates remote monitoring of heart activity, weight and blood pressure in heart failure patients
Medtronic has begun a U.S. pilot evaluation with Carematix, Inc. to assess the efficacy and convenience of remotely monitoring physiological heart data, weight and blood pressure in the management of heart failure. 14 May 2005

Biophan announces smaller ceramic implantable motor
New Scale Technologies has developed a new, ultra-small implantable ceramic Squiggle motor. It is half the size of previous models, with significant improvements in precision and electrical efficiency compared to electromagnetic motors. April 2005

Philips TV-based personal healthcare platform wins Medical Design Excellence Award
The Motiva interactive healthcare platform has received a 2005 Medical Design Excellence Award. It delivers remote patient management and personalised education through the home television. It uses broadband technology, combined with vital-sign measurement devices, to connect patients to their healthcare providers and medical support team. April 2005

Patient monitoring market worth $2bn
The worldwide multi-parameter patient monitoring market is estimated at approximately $2 billion according to a new report by Research and Markets. The home healthcare and remote monitoring market are expected to grow at an accelerated rate. April 2005

Card Guard AG and Samsung Telecommunications in strategic alliance to offer suite of wireless healthcare monitors on pocket PC phones
The technological alliance will offer patients and healthcare practitioners the ability to monitor vital signs such as blood pressure and blood glucose level remotely. March 2005

Oxford BioSignals starts clinical trials in US of BioSign patient monitoring technology
Oxford BioSignals has started clinical studies in Indianapolis, USA, in conjunction with Clarian Healthcare, for its BioSign patient monitoring technology. Biosign combines data from the patient’s five vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation) to produce a BioSign Index by applying complex signal processing and intelligent algorithms. March 2005

First device to noninvasively measure carbon monoxide in the blood
Masimo, has announced a breakthrough in the world of noninvasive patient monitoring. The Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry employs revolutionary sensor, hardware and software designs that are able to collect more information noninvasively than previously believed possible. March 2005

Apnea-risk evaluation system for home use receives clearance for sale in EU
The Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES) for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has received the CE Mark, allowing it to be marketed in the European Union. The ARES combines a miniaturized, battery-powered device to measure blood oxygen levels, pulse rate, snoring sounds, nasal pressure and head position/movement with a questionnaire to assess known risk factors. February 2005

ECRI evaluates patient monitoring systems
ECRI offers purchasing guidance on six physiologic monitoring systems in its January 2005 issue of Health Devices. The patient monitoring systems were evaluated and rated for seven separate applications. February 2005

Nexense launches home monitoring products based on contactless biosensors
The new product line is based on Nexense’s biosensor platform, which offers contact-free monitoring of vital signs, including heart and pulse rate, in a non-intrusive and non-radiating manner. February 2005

Nexense develops advanced biosensor platform. November 2004

 

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