From the Editor - The 2024 Product of the Year

In December, we asked Medical Design Briefs readers to cast their ballot to choose from our eight Products of the Month the technology they felt was the most significant new introduction to the design engineering community in 2024. This year, our winner plays a critical role in preventative healthcare by helping detect early signs of neurological disorders. Here is the winner of the 2024 Medical Design Briefs’ Readers’ Choice Product of the Year.

MEMS for Wearables

Bosch Sensortec , Reutlingen, Germany, has released two new MEMS accelerometers. The BMA530 and BMA580 devices include built-in features making them easy to design into wearables and hearables. BMA530 tracks activities with its step counter and is especially suitable for wearables. BMA580 targets hearables with voice activity detection. The sensor’s software includes an algorithm that can distinguish between single, double, and triple taps. The new accelerometers offer multiple power modes and automatically switch from low- to high-power modes to extend battery life. They offer a flexible set of connectivity options, including an I3C^® interface.

Wearable medical devices are becoming increasingly vital for continuous health monitoring, chronic disease management, and early detection of health anomalies. The accelerometers from Bosch Sensortec are designed to enhance the capabilities of wearables and hearables by offering advanced activity tracking and voice detection features while optimizing battery life. These technologies can play a critical role in preventative healthcare, helping detect irregularities in movement, heart rate, or even early signs of neurological disorders.

Additionally, their integration into medical wearables could lead to wider adoption of remote patient monitoring, reducing hospital visits, enabling more personalized treatment, and ultimately improving patient outcomes. Given the growing demand for digital health solutions, these MEMS devices hold the potential to significantly reshape healthcare delivery.

Sherrie Trigg

Editor and Director of Medical Content