Cuffless blood pressure monitor developed to Class II standard

Maxim Integrated Products has introduced a solid-state, cuffless, blood pressure solution in a bid for more convenient monitoring – meeting Class II regulatory accuracy limits.

Design engineers can develop blood-pressure trending solutions with the MAXREFDES220# reference design from Maxim. Comprised of an integrated optical sensor module, a microcontroller sensor hub and a sensing algorithm, the MAXREFDES220# optical blood-pressure trending solution can be embedded into smartphones or wearables. It enables users to place their finger on a device for 30-45 seconds while resting to measure blood pressure anywhere and anytime.

The MAX30101 (using three LEDs) and MAX30102 (using two LEDs) pulse-oximeter and heart-rate optical sensor modules combine photodetectors, LEDs and analogue front-end (AFE) electronics with an integrated cover glass.

The MAX32664D sensor hub IC includes firmware which controls the sensor and executes the algorithms which measure cuffless blood pressure, heart rate and blood-oxygen levels. Its ultra-small size (1.6mm x 1.6mm) can easily fit into small devices to seamlessly and effortlessly connect to a device’s host microcontroller. 

This solution requires calibration every four weeks to maintain above accuracies. This is based on independent testing and a limited number of subjects at resting condition.

Kris Ardis, executive director in the Micros, Security and Software Business Unit at Maxim Integrated, said: “Blood pressure is a key vital sign, but has traditionally been difficult to monitor conveniently and accurately. Maxim now provides a combination of products in a compact reference design which allows system designers to build highly accurate—and based on our patient testing, the most accurate—blood-pressure monitors that do not require cuffs.