Health care systems worldwide are facing growing pressure: Populations are aging and the prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer is surging – driving health care costs to unprecedented heights. Even with rising investments, health care services often struggle to keep pace. Hospital care remains a cornerstone, but the health care landscape is shifting toward prevention, personalized medicine and empowering patients to take charge of their own health – beyond the guidance of medical staff or family doctors.
Mobile health devices have become an established part of everyday health care. From fitness wristbands and smart rings to medically certified sensors, these devices continuously deliver vital data. They not only aid in the early detection of diseases and in the management of chronic conditions but also promote an active, health-conscious lifestyle through motivation, real-time feedback and personalized recommendations. Reliable, energy-efficient communication is key to making this possible.
Wireless technology as the backbone of digital medicine
Energy-saving wireless solutions lie at the heart of networking. Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), Wi-Fi and cellular IoT technologies deliver scalable, low-latency and secure connections – whether in the home network, on the move or in clinical settings. Combined with on-device intelligence, diagnoses and responses can be accelerated locally without the need for a constant cloud connection.
Nordic Semiconductor is a leading provider of low-power wireless solutions. Key technologies include:
- Bluetooth Low Energy: Basis for energy-efficient networking
- Wi-Fi: Bandwidth-intensive data transfers
- Cellular IoT: Mobile or stationary applications offering extended range, e.g., through LTE-M, NB-IoT or DECT NR+
- Edge AI/ML: On-device local evaluation, classification and pattern recognition
These technologies form the backbone of modern, wirelessly networked health care solutions. However, the requirements on medical IoT solutions are high. In this regard, security, data protection and interoperability are key aspects. On top of that, low power consumption, a compact design, high data security and compatibility across diverse systems are in demand. At the same time, users expect devices that are comfortable and virtually invisible. This is where integrated platforms – i.e. hardware and software solutions that combine multiple coordinated functions into a single system – come to the fore, offering everything from radio modules to security features, firmware updates and certification support.
Smart and precise: Networked wearables in use
The range of solutions is constantly growing. Networked insulin pumps, blood pressure monitors, glucose sensors and inhalers with reminder functions already exist. They enhance the quality of health care, ensure comprehensive documentation and seamlessly integrate with higher-level systems like telemedicine platforms. Paired with secure gateways or direct cloud connectivity, they pave the way for new health care models.
The Kaleido insulin management system exemplifies a modern, portable and digitally connected medical product. It combines a compact insulin pump with wireless control, thus enabling flexible, continuous insulin delivery. The system uses Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF52840-SoC, which ensures stable Bluetooth LE communication with low power consumption, to connect to the app.
Another key application is portable systems that enhance mobility of Parkinson’s patients. These systems deliver tactile signals to improve movement sequences while automatically documenting when and how they were used. Studies show that this can significantly enhance mobility of Parkinson’s patients. The portable medical product gaitQ Tempo uses Nordic’s energy-efficient nRF5340 for Bluetooth LE connectivity (Figure 1). It records movements, transmits data to an app and thus enables targeted therapy adjustments. Thanks to its low energy consumption, the system can run longer on a small battery.
Designing an intelligent, wireless Bluetooth Low Energy medical device is no small feat – but with today’s powerful, highly integrated Systems-on-a-Chip (SoCs) and readily available software and hardware tools, bringing these design innovations to life has never been easier.
Nordic Semiconductor’s new nRF54 series is built for IoT applications that place high requirements on processing power, energy efficiency and security. It combines an energy-efficient, multiprotocol wireless solution in the 2.4 GHz band with a multi-core microcontroller based on a 128 MHz Arm Cortex-M33. Compared to its predecessor series, the nRF52, the nRF54 series delivers double the performance and three times the efficiency.
Challenges of market penetration
Beyond technical feasibility, user acceptance and data protection are key to achieving success. The devices must be intuitive, comfortable to wear and reliable in operation. Developers are challenged to deliver cost-effective designs while meeting regulatory requirements.
A key aspect here is ensuring secure and scalable connection of the devices to digital infrastructures. Nordic takes a holistic approach to device security and direct cloud connectivity. This involves the use of security features like Secure Boot, encrypted communication and hardware-based key management – paired with flexible cloud connectivity. This allows efficient and secure implementation of data-intensive applications, remote maintenance and software updates, even in scenarios with limited network connectivity.
Medical technology of tomorrow
IoT empowers health care to do more while using less energy. As a result, health care is set to become one of the largest adopters of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).With the acquisition of Neuton.AI, a specialist in automated TinyML solutions for edge devices, Nordic Semiconductor has strengthened its expertise in edge AI. The combination of the nRF54 series with the Neuton framework brings scalable AI to even the most resource-constrained devices – marking a significant leap forward for medical technology. Microcontrollers with integrated AI evaluate biosignals locally, for example for fall detection, arrhythmia analysis or early diagnosis. This keeps data on the device, reduces latency and maximizes energy efficiency.
Long-lasting, reliable battery life is essential, especially for battery-powered medical devices like wearables and fitness trackers. Nordic Semiconductor offers a range of power management ICs (PMICs) for efficient energy management, including the nPM2100 for primary cell applications and the nPM1300 for devices with rechargeable batteries. Features like a boost regulator with just 150 nA standby current, an ultra-efficient 35 nA ship mode, as well as integrated wake-up functions and timers enable a precise energy supply with minimal consumption. The PMICs thus complement the wireless solutions to create a compact, energy-efficient platform for medical end devices.
Wireless technology is also playing an increasingly central role in telemedicine and remote health care for chronically ill patients, especially in regions with limited access to health care. The combination of cellular IoT, cloud integration and interoperable platforms enables a new quality of health care – data driven, personalized and accessible anywhere.
Wireless communication technologies are making health care smarter, more accessible and more effective, thus enhancing the quality of life, cutting costs and expanding health care worldwide. The goal is health care that is efficient, affordable, sustainable
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