STMicroelectronics' innovative biosensing technology drives the development of next-generation smart wearable medical and fitness devices
Highly integrated biosensor chip combines ECG monitoring and neural sensing signal input channels with motion tracking and embedded AI core
New products on display at Munich Electronics 2024, held in Munich from November 12 to 15
November 6, 2024 – STMicroelectronics (ST; NYSE: STM), a world-leading semiconductor company serving multiple electronic applications, has launched a new biosensor chip for next-generation smart wearable medical devices such as smart watches, sports bracelets, smart rings, and smart glasses. The ST1VAFE3BX chip integrates high-precision biopotential inputs with ST's market-proven inertial sensors and AI cores. Among them, the AI core performs activity detection on the chip, ensuring faster motion tracking and lower power consumption.
Simone Ferri, Vice President of APMS and General Manager of MEMS Sub-Division at STMicroelectronics, said: “Smart wearable electronics are a key enabling technology for increasing personal health awareness and igniting the fitness boom. Today, everyone can monitor heart rate, track body movement and location on a watch. Our latest biosensor chip can enhance the product capabilities of wearable devices, with motion and biosignal detection capabilities, in a small and slim form factor and within a low power budget.”
Analysts at market research firm Yole Development believe that the market growth of wearable monitors has the opportunity to exceed the overall health market, including consumer medical devices approved by health organizations and sold over the counter. By creating a complete and accurate sensor input on the chip, STMicroelectronics’ chip design experts are promoting innovation in all areas, providing advanced monitoring functions such as heart rate variability, cognitive function and mental state.
The ST1VAFE3BX brings the opportunity for wearable applications to expand from the wrist to other parts of the body, such as smart patches for lifestyle improvement or medical monitoring purposes. STMicroelectronics customers BM Innovations (BMI) and Pison are at the forefront of innovation in this field and have already used this sensor in the development of new products.
BMI is an experienced electronic design contract company in the field of wireless sensors with a broad portfolio of projects, including several market-leading heart rate monitoring and athlete training monitoring systems. Richard Mayerhofer, General Manager of BMI, said: "With ST's new biosensor, we can develop the next generation of accurate athlete training performance monitoring systems, including chest strap or small patch ECG analyzers. Combining the analog signal of the vAFE with the motion data of the accelerometer in a compact package helps us combine contextual awareness information for accurate data analysis. Supporting artificial intelligence algorithms directly on the sensor is exactly the solution we have been looking for."
David Cipoletta, CTO of Pison, a company focused on improving health and human potential, added: "ST's new biosensor is an excellent solution for gesture recognition in smartwatches as well as cognitive performance and neurological health monitoring. With this technological advancement, we have significantly enhanced the functionality and user experience of smart wearable devices."
