Semiconductor Technology: Networking Medical Data
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2006 SEMICONDUCTORS   A simple platform built from off-the-shelf components can gather, process, and transmit patient medical data at a moderate cost. Matt Maupin The pressure to change is nowhere felt more acutely than in the healthcare industry. Institutions and service providers are pushed to cut costs, but expected to do so—a nice trick—...
Semiconductor Technology Networks the Doctor/Patient Relationship
  SEMICONDUCTORS   The pressure to change—nowhere is that felt more acutely than in the health care industry. Institutions and services are pushed to cut costs, but the trick is to do so while continuing to improve patient quality of life. Reducing staff, equipment costs and power consumption, as well as limiting patient hospital stays can all help reduce health care costs, but at...
Reliability Qualification Testing of Chip-Scale IC Packages
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2005 INTEGRATED CIRCUITS   Miniature PCB-mounted components that passed tests for high-reliability portable applications provide an example of component qualification for medical electronics OEMs. Vern Solberg New medical electronic products destined for wearable or portable applications have to be small and lightweight. The challenge for the product...
Innovative 3-D Solutions for Multiple-Die IC Packaging
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2005 PACKAGING   A variety of packaging options and processes enable medical device manufacturers to make the right choice to achieve the desired functionality and performance. Vern Solberg Products courtesy of TESSERA INC. Photo by RONI RAMOS A primary challenge that electronics manufacturers—including those in the medical device...
General-Purpose CPUs for Medical Image Processing
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2004 MEDICAL IMAGING   CPU flexibility, along with increasing performance and functional capability, makes general-purpose processors more than competitive with DSPs and ASICs for medical applications. Andrew Alleman Image reconstruction and processing is a fundamental function performed by medical imaging systems. While many aspects of this processing...
Meeting Implantable Electronic Device Challenges with Mixed-Signal ASICs
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2004 ASIC TECHNOLOGY   Low-power, high-voltage devices support higher functionality in less space while minimizing power loss. Bob Klosterboer With technological advances, implantable medical electronic devices naturally offer an increasing number of features crammed into a smaller space. These two conflicting requirements—greater functionality...
System-on-Chip Solutions for Next-Generation Medical Applications
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 ADVANCED IC TECHNOLOGY   The latest system-on-chip technology can help designers of portable and implantable medical equipment address requirements for performance, power consumption, and size. Jonas Weiland Sidebar: Ultra-Low-Power ASIC Enables New Hearing-Aid Technology The market for medical electronics is growing rapidly...
Ultra-Low-Power ASIC Enables New Hearing-Aid Technology
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 ADVANCED IC TECHNOLOGY   Return to Article: System-on-Chip Solutions for Next-Generation Medical Applications AMI Semiconductor (Pocatello, ID) has developed a new application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for use in an extended-wear hearing device. The custom ASIC was developed in conjunction with InSound...
Implications of RFICs for Medical Instrumentation
SENSORS Frederick G. Weiss Although much of the focus regarding the use of radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) lies in the realm of audio, video, and general data transmission, a variety of medical uses for RFIC-based sensor-transceivers are also viable. Most of the electronics in today's medical instrumentation are packaged components mounted on circuit boards, which in turn are...
Worst-Case Circuit Analysis for Electronic Parts
Medical Electronics Manufacturing Fall 1999 CIRCUIT ANALYSIS Evaluating electronic circuits for tolerance to simultaneous worst-case variations of the individual piece-parts helps ensure that the final circuits will function reliably over the life of the device. Walter M. Smith Worst-case circuit analysis (WCCA) examines the effects on electronic circuits caused by potentially large magnitudes of...
Deciding Whether and How to Use Mixed-Signal ASICs
One of the most significant challenges currently facing all segments of the medical industry today is the need to reduce costs by moving patients from hospital to ambulatory care as rapidly as possible. For designers and manufacturers, this need has meant an increased demand for portable medical devices that incorporate semiconductor components capable of meeting new technical and economic...