Holst Centre, imec Develop Evaluation Kit for Ultra-Low Power ECG Analog Front-End

Holst Centre and imec have developed evaluation kits for their proprietary ultra-low power ECG analog front-end chip for ambulatory cardiac monitoring. The evaluation kits enable device companies to evaluate imec and Holst Centre’s extremely robust ultra-low power technology on their own portable cardiac monitoring solutions.

The ultralow power ECG analog front-end chip provides ECG monitoring at extremely low energy consumption (20uW per channel at a supply voltage of 1.2V). The chip monitors up to 3-lead ECG signals in compliance with ANSI-AAMI and IEC standards for ECG monitoring. The chip also monitors tissue-contact impedance to provide real-time information on the electrode contact quality and lead-off detection.

The evaluation kit provides all necessary hardware and software to evaluate the characteristics of the chip, and includes the above ECG front-end chip and an evaluation board to measure the performance of the chip. The kit is fast and easy to set-up, and can be easily customized to meet the specific solution of the customer.

“Imec and Holst Centre’s technologies for wireless sensor systems deliver the promise of a better and more comfortable, time and cost-efficient method for remote personal healthcare,” stated Chris Van Hoof, Human++ program director at Holst Centre/imec. “We are confident that our ECG analog front-end chip meets the specifications of the industry, to wirelessly record ECG signals with state-of-the-art medical accuracy and reliability, and with extremely robust and power efficient data processing and data transmission to enable long-term functioning on only a small battery. With our evaluation kits, we continue to provide value for our customers, enabling them to test the technology tuned towards the specific solution they are envisioning.”