Fujitsu today announced that it has successfully completed the first verification test in Japan for a medical body area network (mBAN). Conforming to IEEE 802. 15.6 standards and using a prototype device with a frequency band reserved for medical applications (400MHz), the test was conducted at Fujitsu Clinic in Kawasaki, Japan. Conventionally, measuring such vital signs as the electrical activity of the heart, brain waves, blood pressure, and body temperature for patients in a hospital required hooking them up to wires, visually inspecting the results, and then recording the results in a medical chart.
By using mBAN, however, each type of sensor can transmit signals wirelessly to measuring devices. As a result, patient stress caused by being hooked up to obtrusive wires is reduced, as is the assistance required from nurses. Furthermore, the risk of unexpected connection problems with the wires is eliminated, and transcription errors in medical charts are avoided, thus contributing to higher-quality medical care and improved patient comfort.
