Wireless healthcare technology company Halo Monitoring has connected its personal health monitoring and alert system to Microsoft's online health data repository, HealthVault.

Halo Monitoring unveiled its myHalo product at the beginning of 2009 during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. myHalo "wirelessly transmits secure vital signs, activities of daily living, and critical event information (such as when a user falls)," the company's press release stated. "Unlike other monitoring strategies in the past, the system immediately detects when the user falls and automatically transmits that information in real time without prompting by the senior."

The myHalo device is worn under clothing, as a chest strap, and can send alerts to caregivers and family members via email and text messages. The health data is also sent to Halo's secure online portal, but with the addition of Microsoft HealthVault as a possible repository, the data has two potential homes online now.

myHalo falls into the category of a personal emergency response system (PERS) for seniors, because it can detect when the wearer falls down. The device then automatically sends an alert to caregivers or to emergency medical services (EMS).

"Health monitoring devices like myHalo present a huge opportunity to manage more of an individual's health from their home, in close partnership with a provider," David Cerino, general manager of consumer health in Microsoft's Health Solutions Group stated in a company release. "Connecting to Microsoft HealthVault enables users of Halo Monitoring -- and their designated caregivers -- to view information collected by the device within the broader context of the personal health and wellness information stored within their HealthVault account. This holistic view enables physicians to deliver more informed decisions and enables patients to better manage ongoing health concerns."

Watch this news report below for more on Halo Monitoring and how it works: