Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Analog Devices | Subject: Blackfin
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 03 May 2007
Cardiac monitor takes Blackfin to heart
Lechnologies Research uses the Blackfin processor in a novel atrial fibrillation monitor.
Lechnologies Research is using the Blackfin processor in its innovative new AfibAlert atrial fibrillation monitor The AfibAlert is designed for daily use in the home to record and analyse heart rhythm data, and indicates via a red or green light if the patient should transmit his or her data to a physician for further analysis
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 26 Mar 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Lechnologies selected ADI's Blackfin processor because of its hybrid design, low power requirements and expandability.
The AfibAlert uses a Blackfin BF533, which operates the AfibAlert's LCD controller, LED outputs, audio generation, Flash storage and high-quality ADC.
The Blackfin also receives data from the microcontroller peripherals and applies digital filtering and mathematical and statistical analysis to provide feedback to the patient.
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"Building the AfibAlert on a Blackfin processor made it possible for Lechnologies to offer heart patients a sophisticated diagnostic tool that is also small, lightweight, and easy to use", said Tim Lohman, Lechnologies President and CEO.
"The Blackfin's ability to operate at extremely low power levels also means patients can depend on their AfibAlert for up to six months between battery changes".
"And the Blackfin's expandability will allow us to easily update the software algorithm the AfibAlert uses to analyse the patient's heart data".
"We are pleased to be working with innovative companies such as Lechnologies to give consumers increased access to advanced medical devices", said Jerry McGuire, Vice President, General Purpose DSP Group, Analog Devices.
"The Blackfin processor's combination of high performance and low power consumption makes it the perfect choice for these types of applications".
Analog Devices' Blackfin embodies a new breed of 16/32bit embedded processor with the industry's highest performance and power efficiency for applications where a convergence of multiformat audio, video, voice and image processing and real-time security and control processing are critical.
It is this powerful combination of software flexibility and scalability that has gained Blackfin widespread adoption in convergent applications such as digital home entertainment, networked and streaming media, automotive telematics and infotainment, and digital radio and mobile TV.
Because developers today seek to reduce time to market by choosing a robust ecosystem that brings them nearer to the capabilities of their end-products, Analog Devices provides an industry-leading tools, starter kits and support including the familiar ADI Crosscore software and hardware tools that support other Blackfin processors.
These include the award-winning VisualDSP++ integrated development and debug environment (IDDE), emulators, and EZ-Kit Lite evaluation hardware.
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