Three new medical development kits from TI based on the TMS320VC5505 DSP, accelerate time-to-market by up to eight months for medical diagnostic and patient monitoring equipment

HOUSTON .- Medical electronics manufacturers are looking to speed up new equipment designs to meet healthcare providers’ increasing need for the most advanced devices that offer sophisticated features in a battery-powered, portable design. To accelerate and simplify development of these portable medical devices, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced the industry’s first medical development tool set with a complete signal chain and software offering for multiple medical diagnostic and patient monitoring applications. The three medical development kits (MDKs) - based on TI’s TMS320VC5505 digital signal processor (DSP) – can be built by purchasing an analog front-end (AFE) module and a TMS320VC5505 DSP evaluation module (EVM), giving manufacturers a jump start on designing leading-edge electrocardiograms (ECG), digital stethoscopes and pulse oximeter products.

Each kit includes both hardware and software design tools including schematics, sample application code, medical-specific algorithms and collateral that eases the design process and decreases the development time for customers by up to eight months. The MDKs are also extremely flexible with the ability to mix-and-match AFEs with multiple processor platforms for maximum software reuse and return on investment. Additionally, the low power technology offered by the C5505, which is supported by TI’s full analog offering, enables diagnostics functionality for portable medical devices, making them smarter and more energy efficient. As a result of TI’s advanced DSP and analog technology, coupled with software specific for medical applications, the MDKs enable doctors and patients to quickly benefit from an end product with longer battery life, better portability and more sophisticated user functionality, such as real-time waveform display and menu options on an LCD screen and audio recording and playback.

The MDKs are for feasibility evaluation by experts in laboratory/development environments only, and not for medical/diagnostic use on patients. For more information visit: (www.ti.com/c5505mdk-prprod).

Electrocardiogram MDK key features and benefits

* Front-end module with full set of analog circuitry, including the ADS1258 16-channel, 24-bit, low power analog-to-digital converter (ADC), for ECG applications, including defibrillator protection and 4KV isolation
* 12 lead ECG outputs using 10 electrode inputs, improving diagnostic interpretations
* Includes a C5505 DSP EVM for extensive signal processing and medical algorithm implementation, including flexible/configurable filtering, 12 lead computation, QRS detection, leads off detection and real-time ECG waveform and heartbeat rate display on LCD and an external PC

Digital Stethoscope MDK key features and benefits:

* Front-end module with all AFE circuitry, including the TLV320AIC3254 low power and low-voltage stereo audio codec, for digital stethoscope applications
* Three-channel input option, two condenser and one contact mics i/ps with headphone output option
* Three selectable modes for stethoscope operation, allowing the user to hear and focus on sounds of different frequency ranges in order to improve diagnostic accuracy:
o Bell mode (20Hz to 220Hz)
o Diaphragm mode (50Hz to 600Hz)
o Extended range (20Hz to 2000Hz)
* Includes a C5505 DSP EVM for extensive signal processing and volume control, audio storage/playback and real-time acoustic waveform and heartbeat rate display on an LCD and an external PC

Pulse Oximeter MDK key features and benefits:

* Front-end module with all AFE circuitry, including the DAC7573 digital-to-analog converter and ADS8328 (ADC), for pulse oximetry applications includes common signal conditioning path for red and infrared signals
* Includes a C5505 DSP EVM that performs extensive signal processing, oxygen level percentage calculation ranging from 0 to 100 percent, pulse rate display, sensor off detection and real-time plethysmogram display on an LCD and an external PC

Pricing, availability and tools:

* The electrocardiogram analog front-end module is available and priced at USD $449.00
* The digital stethoscope analog front-end module is available and is priced at USD $375.00
* The pulse oximeter analog front-end module is available and priced at USD $395.00
* The TMS320VC5505 DSP EVM is available and priced at USD $395.00

A complete kit includes one of the front-end modules plus the C5505 EVM. Free access to implementation sample code based on the C5505 platform, plus MDK PC application software and hardware design information, is available with the purchase of any module.