Freescale Semiconductor for medical products bring vitality

Medical electronic market is heating up, and by semiconductor manufacturers concerned, even has the potential to become beyond communications and PC to become the largest semiconductor applications.

The improvement of living standards, the ageing society, government social to increase investment in medical health, medical equipment market demand is the main driving force. Whereas technical progress, in particular electronic technology including semiconductor product innovation will be the catalyst for the market. At the end of last week's industry event in the Freescale Technology Forum (FTF), medical innovation is the industry focus one of Freescale's new medical innovations become eye-catching products.

Global medical electronics market, on the one hand, thanks to advances in electronic technology, on the other hand, subject to the following trends are: (1) the ageing population, the proportion of the older population in the world from 20 years ago by 11% to 20% in 2007.

(2) people living standard improve brings health awareness raising, there is health care expectations continue to increase. (3) insurance companies and employers in the payment of medical expenses and insurance scope gradually abate, the insured person or the patient pays the costs of health care is increasing. (4) technological progress allows some minor diseases can intra-familial early analysis, prevention and treatment, than to go to the hospital and convenient cheap.

Medical applications is the fastest growing semiconductor area, according to market research agencies, global Databeans medical electronics spending 15% annual growth, medical applications of semiconductor consumption increased by 11% per year.

To 2012 medical electronic semiconductor output will be close to 50 billion, home and portable market is the fastest growing annual compound growth rate, as high as 16%. Auxiliary devices for rehabilitation, treatment, monitoring/sensor and telemetry devices will become household electronic medical market of big head, light to blood glucose meter to watch in 2007 is $ 7 billion business opportunities, and to the 2012 will grow up to 89 million; and a healthy home medical equipment, estimated more massive growth of 25% will be.

Technology challenges

On today's medical applications, the price and security remains an important indicator, but new demands on the key elements of guises: small size, low power, high reliability.

For example, on size and power-sensitive portable consumer applications product designers are less concerned about neutron-induced firmware error due to reliability problems.

Miniaturization

For most medical applications, the need is sufficient processing power will be integrated into a given space.

Of course, medical device size possible and some important constraints. For example, a portable blood glucose meters form and shape similar to a PDA. On Implantable devices such as pacemakers, used in the treatment of central nervous system disorders of nerve stimulation devices and hearing aids, etc., taking into account their desired implant position, the size is very important.

Low power consumption

In addition to the small size, low power consumption is another trend.

On Implantable devices, power consumption is minimized and the benefits of extended battery life. Topical medical equipment to the power consumption is also very sensitive. With the increasing miniaturization of electronic components, past medical devices is fixed into the laptop. In the past, hospitals must use cart to transport of ultrasonic imaging device, the dimension of the now-just like a notebook computer. Automatic external electricity shock generator (defibrillator) are now widely adopted. Extracting oxygen from the air on patients with oxygen treatment of portable oxygen generator, you can now just like wallet slung over her shoulders. All of these devices are relying on low power consumption and small form factor.

Other challenges include: the semiconductor industry's rate of change is much more than medical equipment (sales using the latest technology for new products more difficult); medical equipment clients need to go through the site that will not be obsolete technology in order to meet the stringent regulations on medical equipment Guide.

Freescale microcontrollers for use in medical applications bring vitality

According to survey results, Databeans medical electronics industry to bring the most rapid semiconductors for industrial growth opportunities, it is expected that an annual growth rate of up to 11%.

Freescale Semiconductor company by introducing five microcontroller (MCU) product line, to specifically meet the rigorous demands of medical applications. The MCU power consumption is very low, its stop current of less than 450 MW micro-amps, and integrated LCD segment display, USB and analog circuits. Therefore, Freescale medical micro-controller solutions can save up to 30% of the component, and the main competitors, significant savings in system costs. These products are included in Freescale's long-term plan, "" product (product longevity program).

Freescale chip for embedded medical market tailor-made for portable medical applications, such as a portable blood glucose meter and heart rate monitor.

Other applications include diagnostic and treatment solutions, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), patient care equipment and medical laboratory equipment. Freescale MCU of health aims to meet or exceed the United States food and Drug Administration (FDA) on specific laptop medical applications (such as blood glucose meter) accuracy standards.

Freescale 8-bit in the near future with LCD driver, 16 bit resolution ADC and ultra low standby current S08LH36 and highly integrated single-chip S08QE32, not only to top-level glucose meter manufacturer design is stable and reliable products that can be seamlessly upgraded to more fast 32-bit ColdFire platforms and can be integrated with USB interface and conform to international medical institutions recognised Continua USB Stack PHDC.

In addition, low power consumption is Freescale medical electronic product characteristic.

Electrocardiogram of portable devices, real time data can be connected directly or via Bluetooth to transfer to a personal computer or mobile phone, which in turn transferred to the hospital or data center and storage or real-time monitoring and analysis. For this type of equipment, power consumption is a key factor in user selection, due diligenceReduced battery charging time. Freescale's designers in the design of micro-controller and Zigbee RF devices, has a variety of power management features integrated into the product. Such as: running, waiting, standby and stop mode available for 1 to 2 batteries.

Freescale industrial products (medical) Asia Pacific Marketing Manager Mr. Gordon said, Freescale offers solutions has more than one thing in common, such as medical products provides 15 years of supply cycle, low-power, micro-encapsulation, high reliability, connectivity, and easy to operate, reduce misunderstandings of man-machine interface software, greatly facilitates the user particularly older users.