DSP Kits Make Medicine Easier

Aug. 13, 2009

Texas Instruments is highlighting the applicability of its low-power TMS- 320VC5505 DSP to medical products with a trio of medical development kits (MDKs), including digital-stethoscope, electrocardiogram (ECG) meter, and pulse-oximeter analog front-end (AFE) boards. These boards, which plug into a TMS320VC5505 DSP evaluation module (EVM), are designed to streamline the development of portable medical devices.

Each kit includes software design tools, schematics, sample application code, and medical-specific algorithms that streamline the design process. The MDKs are designed for evaluation and not for end products for medical or diagnostic use on patients.

The digital stethoscope AFE uses a TLV320AIC3254 low-power, low-voltage stereo audio codec. It has three channel inputs plus a headphone output. The software provides three selectable modes of operation, including Bell mode (20 to 220 Hz), diaphragm mode (50 to 600 Hz), and an extended range (20 to 2000 Hz).

The ECG AFE uses an ADS1258 16-channel, 24-bit, low-power analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with defibrillator protection and 4-kV isolation (see the figure). It has a 12-lead ECG output and 10-electrode input. The software includes 12-lead computation, quick release system (QRS) detection, leadsoff detection, and real-time ECG waveform and heartbeat-rate display.

The pulse-oximeter AFE has a DAC7573 digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and an ADS8328 ADC. The software support addresses oxygen-level percentage calculation ranging from 0% to 100%, pulse-rate display, sensor-off detection, and real-time plethysmogram.

Pricing for the TMS320VC5505 DSP EVM starts at $395. The AFE modules cost $375, $449, and $395 for the stethoscope, ECG, and pulse oximeter, respectively.

TEXAS INSTRUMENTSwww.ti.com

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William G. Wong | Senior Content Director - Electronic Design and Microwaves & RF

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