The first commercial wireless blood pressure monitor using Bluetooth low energy communication will use RF chips from Nordic Semiconductor.
Designed by IDT International, and available for branding by medical equipment OEMs, the product is expected to be ready for volume production by March 2012 following FDA (US) and MDD (Europe) certification.
The brand Bluetooth Smart is being pushed for Bluetooth low energy compatible devices.
"This product will mean that any smartphone, computer, or health hub equipped with Bluetooth version 4.0 Smart Ready will be able to communicate with a wireless Bluetooth Smart blood pressure monitor and send collected systolic and diastolic data via text or email to healthcare providers, or even just concerned relatives," said Nordic. "Automatic alerting of any unusually high or low readings is included. The device will also record the user's resting pulse and detect any irregularities in their heart beat, allowing these parameters to be remotely monitored too."
The monitor can support two separate users, and can give voice instructions and readings to World Health Organization recommendations "such as 'your blood pressure is normal / slightly high / high'," said Nordic.
The Nordic chip is the nRF8001.
"Its low power performance has allowed IDT to achieve four to six month operating life from four AA batteries with two readings per day," it said.
IDT is headquartered in Hong Kong.