The implanted medical devices and on body sensors are mainly connected with monitoring tools to provide patient health data in real time using Body Area Networks (BANs). The electromagnetic spectrum is used to design wireless/telemetry biomedical electronics systems of a wide variety of types.

The development of in body communications systems is based of the MICS (Medical Implantable Communication Service) band, a dedicated frequency band between 402 – 405 MHz for implanted device communications. MICS is an ultra low power, unlicensed, mobile radio service for transmitting data associated with implanted medical devices. The MICS permits individuals and medical persons to utilise ultra low power medical implant devices, without causing interference to other users of the electromagnetic radio spectrum. The operating range is 1-2 meters. The exact modulation or signal format is not defined. This is up to the specific application.

Using MICS, a healthcare provider can establish a short range, high speed wireless link between an implanted device and a base station. For example, an ultra low power RF transceiver in a pacemaker can wirelessly send patient health and device operating data to a bedside RF transceiver. Data is then forwarded from the base station via telephone or the Internet to a doctor.

For more information contact: Frode Strisland