Cambridge Consultants link with Continua

UK based company, Cambridge Consultants, has launched a platform that enables wireless connectivity from medical devices to online health services.

The platform, which is Continua standards compliant, was demonstrated at Continua’s Summer Summit and Plugfest 2010 in Belfast, Ireland last week.

It combines Qualcomm’s wearable mobile device module and Cambridge Consultants’ Vena software.

The platform collects data from devices over the Continua Personal Area Network, which is then transmitted over the Continua Wide Area Network to online health services.

Nick Vassilakis, business development consultant at Cambridge Consultants, said: “Remote health data collection is an important part of future health services.

"Our Vena software has been built to use emerging industry standards and enable the rapid development of compact and low-cost wireless health devices.”

Vassilakis added: “By combining the Vena stack with Qualcomms’s cellular modules, we can demonstrate how next generation healthcare services have the potential to evolve by using cellular networks.”

The Vena software stack uses Continua standards to embed the Bluetooth health device profile that securely transports data in order to exchange information between health devices.

The Qualcomm wearable mobile device is designed to support 3G networks and provide integrated GPS, accelerometer and Bluetooth technologies.

Don Jones, vice president of life sciences at Qualcomm, said: “Mobile technology will be at the core of future healthcare services.

"The wearable mobile device cellular module provides a powerful and compact platform for the development of new health care services and devices. Our collaboration with Cambridge Consultants illustrates some exciting possibilities in this market.”

In 2008, the Continua Health Alliance developed Version One guidelines for Continua members to develop compliant connected health products and services.

The guidelines specify how to use existing standards to build interoperable personal healthcare systems.

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Cambridge consultants

Qualcomm

Continua Alliance