ASTRI & Imperial College London co-develop next generation power efficient Body Sensor Network

May 7, 2012 - PRLog -- With rapid development in physiological sensors and wireless communication technologies in recent years, many researchers, doctors and marketers are pursuing after Body Sensor Network (BSN) as a new enabling technology for healthcare, sports and other applications. However, before it can be fully exploited, increasing power efficiency of sensors and front-end analog ICs remains to be one of the biggest challenges.

To meet the needs of the emerging BSN market, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) is partnering with the Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College London to jointly develop a new ultra low power BSN sensing platform for the Elite Sports Performance in Training (ESPRIT) Programme. The Hamlyn Centre at Imperial is one of the world leading research centers in BSN technologies. It has developed a number of on-node and analog processing algorithms, sensors and techniques for accurate detection of abnormalities and events while minimizing power consumption. The ESPRIT Programme is an EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) and UK Sport jointly funded programme for developing pervasive technologies for sports, wellbeing and healthcare applications (http://www.esprit-sport.org).

In this joint project, ASTRI will integrate the College’s analog intelligent processing front end and  ASTRI’s low power, high resolution ADC, DAC with ARM core into a mixed-signal platform SoC implemented with 0.18µm CMOS. ASTRI will also develop application modules to be used as development platform for BSN applications and end products. The Innovation and Technology Commission in Hong Kong supports this joint initiative.

The SoC when successfully developed can be used for a variety of applications related to healthcare, wellbeing and sport training. Its ultra low power processing feature makes it ideal for applications in wearable devices to ensure reliable and continuous remote monitoring of physical condition. It can potentially be used in sophisticated implantable medical devices such as cardiac pacemaker to improve the abnormality detection and extend the longevity of the artificial devices in human body. Other applications include motion sensing, security and location finding etc.

Mr David Kwong, Vice President and R&D Director, IC Design Group of ASTRI said: “I am very pleased that ASTRI could embark on such a meaningful project with a top research centre like Imperial. I am confident that with ASTRI’s expertise in portable mixed-signal IC design and the College’s leading-edge sensing technologies, we can come up with a good solution to help realizing the full potentials of wireless body sensor network.”

Dr. Benny Lo, from the Hamlyn Centre at Imperial College London said, “Tiny, implantable body sensors could quite literally revolutionize the way we monitor the health and wellbeing of those living with chronic health conditions. Through more effective, unobtrusive monitoring of vital signs, it could lead to more responsive, personalized treatments and a better quality of life for patients.

Dr. Lo continued, “That is why it is so important to collaborate with our partners at ASTRI. Together, we will be able to make improvements to the underpinning technology behind these sensors, which could mean that they could be implemented in healthcare in the near future.”

Imperial organizes this year’s International Conference on Wearable and Implantable Body Sensor Networks (BSN 2012), providing a platform for industry and academia to share insights and exchange ideas. At the upcoming BSN 2012 which will be held on 9 to 12 May 2012 in London, Mr David Kwong from ASTRI will deliver a talk on the topic “Imperial and ASTRI’s integrated low power analog front end for BSN and multi-axis g-sensor applications”. For more information, please visit http://www.bsn2012.org/.

About BSN 2012
The International Conference on Wearable and Implantable Body Sensor Networks (BSN) is an annual conference started since 2003. This year, the BSN 2012 will be held on 9 to 12 May 2012 at The Royal Geographic Society, South Kensington, London UK. BSN 2012 will address the fast-growing BSN research and offer participants a unique forum to discuss the key issues and innovative solutions in current BSN research and its future applications. The conference features a number of invited lectures by leading academic researchers and industrial experts. It will also include showcases and demonstrations of the latest BSN developments. BSN 2012 is now open for registration, for more information, please visit http://www.bsn2012.org/

About Imperial College London
Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.

In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.

Website: www.imperial.ac.uk

About ASTRI  
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was founded by the HKSAR Government in 2000 with the mission to enhance technological competitiveness of Hong Kong through applied research.

In 2006, ASTRI was designated the Hong Kong Research and Development Centre for Information and Communications Technologies by the Innovation and Technology Commission. Its R&D efforts traverse five major areas: Communications Technologies, Enterprise & Consumer Electronics, IC Design, Material & Packaging Technologies and Bio-medical Electronics. An Exploratory Research Laboratory was also established to perform research on emerging and interdisciplinary technologies.

Since inception, ASTRI has produced many world-class technologies. It has also nurtured teams of excellent researchers, produced a volume of intellectual properties and created real economic impact by transferring technologies to its clients in Hong Kong, the Mainland and the region.