At the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society event in Minneapolis this week, Qualcomm presented a new algorithm that it says lowers the power of body area networks (BANs). According to a report from EETimes, the presentation attracted the attention of implantable device maker Medtronic's representatives who were in attendance at the event.

"The sensing of vital signs is still an open problem because the sensors have to work 24/7 in regular living conditions that generate acquisition artifacts," Harinath Garudadri, an engineer in Qualcomm's corporate R&D group told the EETimes.

Garudadri said Qualcomm's Compressed Sensing algorithm is applied at the application layer and can reduce the amount of data acquired and sent through a BAN, regardless of which wireless radio technology is being used. Qualcomm has tested the technology on blood pressure sensors and heart rate sensors so far.

The report is a good reminder that the wireless tools and technologies available today are a great starting point for wireless healthcare, but in many cases they will require mods and tweaks to get them up to snuff for healthcare or "medical grade."

For more, be sure to read the article over at EETimes