Ultra WideBand impulse radar (UWB): The future of Remote Monitoring in Healthcare and Social Care

Ultra Wide Band (UWB) is a wireless technology developed to transfer data at high rates over very short distances at very low power densities. UWB short-range radio technology complements other longer-range radio technologies such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and cellular wide area communications.

Like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, ultra-wideband (UWB) is a short-range, wireless communication protocol that operates through radio waves. But unlike its counterparts, it operates at very high frequencies — a broad spectrum of GHz frequencies — and can be used to capture highly accurate spatial and directional data.

Applying Ultra-WideBand (UWB) technology in medical applications is an emerging research trend in recent years. First attempt of using UWB radar in medical applications is in human body monitoring and imaging in 1993 . On August 9, 1994, the first US Patent application was filed for medical UWB radar. One year later, MIT began an educational project for the Radar Stethoscope.

In 1996, the biomedical use of UWB radars is better described with photo and sample tracings, and in the same year, the US Patent [McEwan96] was awarded. Since then, UWB is often deemed as a possible alternative to remote sensing and imaging. Compared with X-ray imaging, UWB radar probes use non-ionizing electromagnetic waves which proved to be harmless to human body.

Moreover, the UWB radar has very low average power level and is very power efficient. Thus is suitable to be a potentially cost effective way of human body imaging, especially in real time imaging. By 1999, many works have begun for UWB medical applications in cardiology, obstetrics, breath pathways and arteries

Keenly Health

Keenly Health believe in the power of technology to revolutionize the care experience for long-term and home services, caregivers, residents and patients. We have been a pioneer in the field of advanced biomonitoring technologies and solutions, developing a robust patent portfolio that’s changing the way we see health.

Without leads, cuffs, or pressure-based sensors, the Keenly Virtual Medical Assistant™ offers the first patient and resident monitoring system that’s completely free of physical contact. Now, caregivers can accurately monitor vital signs, movement and visitor presence no matter where the resident is in the room.

Keenly Virtual Medical Assistant

Requiring only a power source and a WiFi signal, our service allows for the accurate collection of multiple types of data from a single device.

Our device continually monitors respiratory rate, heart rate, sleep, body movement, bed exit and visitor presence.

* Provides accurate information, without requiring a physical connection to the resident

* Days, weeks and even years’ worth of valuable is tracked to help caregivers identify trends and take action to prevent possible health issues earlier

* Samples at 20 times per second, and is able to capture movement as small as 4 millimeters in a programmable detection range up to 5 meters

Future of Remote Patient Monitoring

Miniaturization is an emerging development in RPM technology, and device manufacturers seek to expand their market share by making their solutions smaller and less invasive. For instance, Dexcom is partnering with Verily (Alphabet’s life sciences unit) to design an implantable diabetes sensor that usesBluetooth to transmit health data to smartphones and other monitoring devices.

Indications are that future innovations in RPM will focus on strategies for managing the explosion of data in healthcare settings. As such, providers should look to big-data analytics and device manufacturers who use artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to expand usage and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their RPM devices.

With reports indicating significant RPM industry growth (the global market to exceed $31 billion by 2023),forward-thinking organizations should consider how they can expand their RPM offerings and integration capabilities.