5 key benefits of ASICs for medical devices

Discover how ASIC technology is revolutionizing the medical device industry by enhancing performance, ensuring security, and improving patient outcomes.

Unpacking the Role of ASICs in Modern Medical Devices

ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) are playing a crucial role in the advancement of modern medical devices. Unlike standard components, ASICs offer key benefits that are highly advantageous for medical device manufacturers.
Let's explore some of these benefits in detail.

1 - Enhancing Device Security and Reliability with Custom ASICs

One of the primary advantages of using custom-designed ASICs in medical devices is enhanced security. With the increasing risk of counterfeit components in the market, it is crucial to have reliable and secure devices, especially for critical medical applications like pacemakers and insulin pumps. Custom ASICs significantly reduce the risk of counterfeit components, ensuring the reliability and safety of these critical devices.

2 - Achieving Miniaturization and Integration in Healthcare Technology

In the field of healthcare technology, miniaturization and integration are key factors in developing advanced medical devices. ASICs enable the integration of multiple functions and sensors into a single chip, allowing the creation of smaller and more efficient devices. For example, portable ultrasound machines and implantable sensors can benefit greatly from ASICs, as they can be made compact and lightweight without compromising on performance.

 3 - Tailored Performance and High Computing Power

With their tailored architecture and dedicated hardware resources, ASICs outperform general-purpose processors and allow for the optimization of parameters to meet specific medical application needs, providing higher efficiency and precision in devices. They are optimized for maximum computing power and speed and enable to embed AI capabilities directly into wearables. With ASICs, healthcare technology can process data locally, enabling faster, more reliable, and more secure solutions for example for the management and treatment of chronic diseases.

4 – ASICs' Low Power Consumption and Connectivity

Low power consumption is a critical feature of ASICs, especially for wearables and continuous monitoring. Lower energy usage extends battery life, reducing the need for frequent recharging or replacements, ensuring long-term reliability, and limiting invasive procedures to replace batteries. ASIC technology components can encompass passive, active, and semi-passive tags operating on different frequencies, allowing high connectivity and seamless tracking.

5 - Cost-Benefit Analysis: Investing in ASICs for Long-Term Savings

While the initial development cost of ASICs may be higher compared to standard components, the long-term benefits and integration capabilities outweigh the upfront investment. ASICs offer cost efficiency through improved performance and reduced power consumption. Additionally, ASICs mitigate the risk of component obsolescence, ensuring a stable supply chain and avoiding disruptions caused by end-of-life issues with off-the-shelf components.

 ASICs Benefits for Patients

The utilization of ASIC technology in medical devices directly contributes to improved patient outcomes. The increased accuracy and reliability of ASICs enhance patient monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment. For instance, diagnostic imaging systems and wearable health monitors can deliver higher efficiency and precision, leading to better patient care and outcomes.
 

Real-World Applications for ASICs in Healthcare

Let's explore some real-world applications of ASICs in the healthcare industry to understand their impact better:

• One example is the use of ASICs in portable and wearable medical devices for continuous monitoring, such as handheld ECG monitors, which provide accurate and reliable measurements in a compact form factor. Integrating AI algorithms within these ASICs enhances data analysis, enabling real-time monitoring and early detection of cardiac anomalies.
  
• In-vitro Diagnostic Equipment for point-of-care testing needs to be small and efficient in order to be accessible, therefore miniaturization and integration offered by ASICs are key to accelerate development and market adoption.
  
  
• The combination of AI and ASIC technology is key in medical imaging. ASICs enable portable ultrasound machines to deliver imaging with reduced power consumption, making them ideal for use in remote or underserved areas. This advancement brings medical imaging to the mobile age, ensuring imaging and diagnostic capabilities are available anywhere.

Presto's unique expertise in designing ASICs for medical applications

Presto has a long experience in designing and producing ASIC for medical applications such as medical wearable devices, hearing aids, medical sensor patches, patient monitoring, in-vitro diagnostic, medical imaging, and ultrasound. 

With over three decades of experience in ASIC design, backed with EN ISO 13485 certification and specialized IP blocks tailored to the precise needs of medical applications, Presto Engineering emerges as a partner of choice for healthcare enterprises seeking to mitigate risks, lower development costs, and accelerate time-to-market for their innovative devices.