Zarlink introduces (press release) the first ultra low power transceiver chip designed for personal area networks. The chip targets medical applications like wireless sensors and implanted pacemakers, defibrillators, neurostimulators and blood glucose sensors.
According to Zarlink (product specs), the high-speed chip transmits about ten times the data rate of rival products, while consuming about 20 percent of the power. […]
Remember the study released a few weeks ago about the kinds of nasty bugs that can be found on computer keyboards? Well, Unotron has released SpillSeal washable keyboards.
Study coordinator Dr. Charles Gerber, “germ guru” microbiologist at the University of Arizona, reported that keyboards are dirtier than toilet seats, requiring disinfecting or sanitizing to attack […]
U.S. emergency department (ED) visits reached a record high of nearly 114 million in 2003, while the number of EDs continued to decrease to 3,910, according to a report released last Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
From 1993 through 2003, the number of ED visits increased 26 percent. The U.S. […]
Here's a short description of the University of Chicago's new Comer Children's Hospital. Even though the 42-in flat screen TVs in each patient room get metioned twice, the real news is the level of innovation in connectivity. Nurse call-VoIP phone integration, InnerWireless wireless utility, RFID, Cisco medical grade network, and patient monitors networked across the hospital […]
This not too complimentary profile if Medtronic is a good example of what life's like as a medical device industry titan. This is a great description of bare knuckle competition, filled with stories of kickbacks, court and patent battles, restrictive hospital purchase contracts and, of course, recalls. Group purchasing organizations catch a little mud as well. […]
The AHA News reports that seven members of the House of Representatives are requesting a written response from FDA Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford concerning the FDA's plan to require the bar coding of medical devices. After thinking about this, it doesn't seem so crazy if applied to implantable and single use devices like pacemakers, catheters […]
Datascope took another hit in their vascular closure device business in the quarter ending March 31, 2005. Sales came in at $96.1 million (vs. $89.9 million for last year), but would have been 1% behind last years performance without a $6.1 million Panorama backlog and favorable exchange rates kicking in another $3.6 million. Overall, gross margins […]
I've been collecting some interesting things that have been going on this week, as well as some other items that have come to my attention. I'll be posting this evening and through the weekend to catch up, so check back!
