The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) today finalized technology that will usher in a new generation of wireless medical devices.

New profiles built on Bluetooth Core Specification Version 4.0 will allow wireless monitoring of body temperature and heart rate. Potential applications of the new technology include a thermometer patch that transmits measurements to a mobile phone.

“These two profiles are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the new devices and uses Bluetooth technology is driving,” Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG, said in a statement. “With several new profiles on the cusp of adoption, we expect to see a rolling wave of Bluetooth products in a variety of new markets from today forward.”

New smartphones will come with Bluetooth v4.0, a low-energy version of the wireless technology, starting later this year.

—Jamie Hartford