Wireless connectivity is finding its way into all areas of our society. The healthcare industry is not an exception when it comes to embracing the advantages of wireless connectivity, with more and more medical sensors, various aids and diagnostic systems being connected. This transformation has accelerated after the pandemic, and benefits include enhanced productivity, improved life quality, as well as increased patient security and peace of mind.

Going wireless

The wireless connectivity can enable remote 24/7 monitoring of vital health parameters and analysis of changes and trends, even when the patient is at home, allowing for suitable and timely countermeasures on various diagnoses. In-hospital advantages covers various areas such as efficient communication between hospital staff as well as un-interrupted monitoring of patient status, even when being moved between different hospital wards. Remote patient monitoring systems, glucose monitors & insulin pumps, hearing aids, fitness and health monitors for home use, in-hospital communication and paging systems all contributes to changing the way healthcare is provided.

Wireless connectivity is provided through a variety of technologies, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The choice of technology depends on the specific needs and applications. Some of the most commonly used wireless technologies in healthcare include cellular (4G, 5G), Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

Common for all these various connected healthcare devices and wireless technologies is the need for optimized wireless connectivity. Selecting the most efficient antenna design, and antenna location, based on available space and budget, as well as the best chipset or wireless module is critical for the radio performance. Bluetest can meet this need with smaller as well as larger walk-in reverberation test chambers for evaluation of antenna and radio performance. The smallest chamber, RTS25, is dedicated to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi measurements, while the larger RTS95 even supports measurements of wearable devices on a real person.

We are, in addition to delivering complete Over-the-Air (OTA) measurement systems, also offering measurement services at our Swedish headquarter location. Our lab is equipped with communication testers supporting most of the common communication standards including 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Our goal is to provide the healthcare industry with an efficient and accurate OTA performance tool, regardless of whether the radio design is completely in-house, by sourcing off-the-shelf radio modules and antennas or sourcing a complete device design from a contract designer/manufacturer.

See also IoT and M2M communication and live person testing.