CONNECTED HEALTH

What is Connected Health?

Connected Health is the industry at the juncture between telecommunications, consumer electronics and medicine. Its growth is directly related to the proliferation of the smartphone. Today, there are over 6 billion smartphone subscriptions worldwide and it’s expected to grow by several hundred million each year. This movement, paired with device developers aiming to transform how we manage our health, is enabling medical and health services and procedures to be delivered outside of the traditional medical or hospital setting.

How does PDT fit in?

PDT’s heritage lies in wireless telecommunications and advanced consumer electronics development. This deep expertise carried over seamlessly into life sciences and connected medical device development. We have worked with clients at the cutting edge of product innovation for solutions that capture data, communicate wirelessly, integrate with other devices, create a more efficient workflow and more.

Wireless Technology Standards: Data Rate vs. Range

Four Avenues for Leveraging a Smartphone in Your Product Solution

PDT Joins Chicago Tech Community "Array of Things"

PDT joins a working collaboration, including many Chicago tech community members, to help bring the urban data sensor project, "Array of things," to life.

Choose the right mobile platform.

Android & iOS have a combined marketshare of 85-95%

Windows, Tizen, and Firefox OS are among the 5-15% remainder in the market.

Android vs. iOS: How do you develop an app intended for more than one operating system?

Choose the best wireless connectivity for your application

Option 1:

Choose one platform and debut first

   + allows for user feedback

   + can work out bugs in advance

   - second app is delayed

Option 2:

Design parallel in both platforms

   + both apps are released at the same time

   - time consuming

Bluetooth

PROS:

Available in nearly all smartphones/tablets

Low power (esp. with BLE-Bluetooth Low Energy)

More vendor offerings compared to ANT+

CONS:

Requires pairing process

Low data rate (3Mbit/s classic, 1Mbit/s BLE)

BLE devices don't interoperate with classical Bluetooth devices (however dual-mode devices are available)

BEST APPLICATION:

Low power, low data rate applications

Point-to-point communication

ANT+

PROS:

Simpler protocol than BLE

Low power

Multiple topologies supported (point-to-point star, tree, mesh)

CONS:

Low data rate (1Mbit/s)

Not as many vendor offerings as Bluetooth

BEST APPLICATION:

Low power, low data rate applications

Sports and fitness fields

Performance and health monitoring

NFC

PROS:

Simple setup - doesn't require pairing

Extremely low power

CONS:

Short communication range (<20 cm)

Low data rate (106kbit/s to 424 kbit/s)

BEST APPLICATION:

NFC can be used to setup more capable wireless connections such as Bluetooth or WiFi Direct

Mobile payments

Patient confirmation/data