Medical Innovation @ CES 2011: Nonin Medical and Microsoft HealthVault

Minneapolis, MN-based Nonin Medical has just announced that their Onyx II 9560 pulse oximeter has received Microsoft HealthVault certification, which will allow users' vitals to be uploaded, stored, and shared with their health care provider.The Onyx II 9560 is one of Nonin's most advanced fingertip pulse oximeters. Its features include Bluetooth technology for communicating with other devices, on-board memory, and SmartPoint Technology for determining accurate SpO2 and pulse rate readings. It is also Continua-certified, which is a standard that allows for interoperability amongst a number of diagnostic devices.

Withings Smart BabyMonitor

Withings, the company that unveiled their iPhone blood pressure cuff just a few days ago, has another new product in the pipeline: a smart babymonitor. This is probably the most advanced video baby monitor ever made, with a 3-megapixel camera and an extra-wide lens, infrared night vision, temperature and humidity sensors, and a sound and motion detector. It connects to your iPhone or Android device through wifi or bluetooth and even allows you to select music to play through the monitor. It will send alerts when any unusual movements or temperature changes are detected. It is planned to be released in March.

LifeBot: The Tablet for Prehospital Patient Care

LifeBot out of Tempe, Arizona has implemented the HP Slate 500 as an in-ambulance computer and universal communication device. The tablet that runs Windows 7 can transmit live patient data to the receiving hospital via the DREAMS software developed with U.S. Army Materiel Command, Texas A&M, and UTHealth Science Center at Houston.

Nonin's New Wireless Pulse Oximeter Coming to US, Canada

Nonin Medical is releasing in the U.S. and Canada its new WristOx2 Model 3150 pulse oximeter. The wrist-worn device features Bluetooth wireless connectivity and is Continua certified for easy compatibility with other certified devices.

New Mobile Puritan Bennett Ventilator for EU

Covidien is launching its new Puritan Bennett 520 ventilator to the European market. The unit weighs 4.5kg, runs on lithium ion batteries, and is meant to be used for patients who need support only part of the day and for mobile applications.

Telemedecine

Telemedicine has been a promise for many years, slowly coming to fruition. This year some significant leaps were made. Airstrip technologies, which previously released a remote obstetric monitoring app, in August released remote critical care and cardiology monitoring solutions for the iPhone. Basically, it gives you a vital signs monitor for any connected ICU or cardiac patient right in your pocket. Meanwhile, Littmann keeps improving its teleauscultation offering, adding scope-to-scope teleauscultation. On the treatment front, we saw the first remote cardiac catheterization, transcontinental anesthesia and all-robotic surgery and anesthesia.

The IPAD and medical technologies

The hype around the iPad has not gone unnoticed in the medical world. Previous (medical grade) tablets did not make a significant impact. However, the iPad has sparked a rich ecosystem of medical apps and even some add-on medical devices. We had over 50 posts referring to the iPad one way or another. Highlights include the introduction, the first clinical tests, the first appearance in an operating theater and several great apps including reference apps, radiology viewers and electronic health records. With the iPad 2 expected in 2011 we expect no end to the stream of news about this wonderful device. Also tablets from competing 

manufacturers are starting to mature and might stiffen up 

the competition in the next year.