Murata Healthcare: High Precision and Low Power for Medical Devices

As healthcare technology advances rapidly and global demand for health management increases, high-precision and low-power medical products are becoming a central focus of the industry. These products not only provide accurate, timely health data but also significantly extend device lifespan, meeting the needs for portable and long-term monitoring. From wearable devices to remote health monitoring systems, these solutions are enhancing healthcare management for individuals and medical institutions while reducing energy consumption and improving patient experiences. This article explores innovative healthcare technologies such as glucose meters and skin patches, alongside Murata's related solutions.

Glucose Meters and Skin Patches: Improving the Lives of Chronic Patients

Glucose Meters (BGM) are devices that measure blood glucose levels by detecting the electrical signal generated by glucose oxidase. The sensor detects the enzymatic reaction between glucose and glucose oxidase, which produces a current proportional to the blood glucose concentration. Due to the temperature dependence of sensors, temperature compensation is essential. Thermistors are used to monitor abnormal heating in microcomputers and power supplies, preventing overcurrent caused by USB connections.

Blood glucose meters are primarily categorized into Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose (SMBG) and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices. Both types measure blood glucose by detecting the current generated from the reaction between glucose and glucose dehydrogenase. SMBG involves direct blood glucose detection, while CGM continuously monitors glucose levels over time, providing real-time data for managing diabetes more effectively.

Skin Patches are an emerging healthcare technology gaining widespread adoption. These patches are made from thin, flexible materials with high biocompatibility, allowing them to adhere directly to the skin. They enable continuous monitoring of physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, blood glucose, and temperature. The data is transmitted wirelessly to smartphones or medical systems for real-time monitoring. For chronic disease patients, such as those with diabetes or cardiovascular conditions, these patches offer precise data, helping adjust treatment plans and prevent complications.

In addition to monitoring, skin patches can also function as drug delivery systems. Medications are released through the skin, offering advantages for long-term or continuous treatments, such as pain relief or hormone therapy. This reduces patient discomfort, improves drug efficacy, and avoids the side effects associated with oral or injected medications.

With the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, these skin patches are becoming smarter. They collect vast amounts of personal health data, which AI analyzes to provide personalized health recommendations and treatment plans. In remote healthcare settings, skin patches provide stable data for doctors to diagnose and treat patients remotely.

Murata’s Comprehensive Product Line for Medical Device Design

Murata offers a comprehensive product range designed to meet the needs of healthcare device development. These products contribute to miniaturization and enhanced design flexibility, improving the convenience of daily health management through network connectivity (e.g., Bluetooth Smart modules and wireless communication modules).

Murata’s offerings include Bluetooth modules, LPWA modules, LTCC filters/baluns, thermistors (NCU series), magnetic sensors (AMR sensors MR series), crystal resonators (XRC series), and power supply components like silver oxide batteries (SR series), isolated DC-DC converters (NXJ1/NXJ2 series), and piezoelectric sound components (PKMCS/PKLCS series). These components support the development of compact, energy-efficient devices for continuous health monitoring, such as CGM and skin patches.

Thermistors, used in skin patches, not only detect temperature but also monitor abnormal heating of internal components. In cancer magnetic field therapy pads and devices for monitoring ECG, GSR, and SpO2, thermistors ensure the safety of wearable medical devices. For example, in a cancer therapy pad, eight thermistors are used in each disposable electrode patch, with four patches forming an array for a total of 32 thermistors. These patches monitor temperature and protect against overheating, ensuring safe wearability during treatment.

Murata’s Thermistors: Enhancing Healthcare Device Accuracy

Murata has over 60 years of experience in developing thermistors, starting with the world’s first mass production of PTC thermistors in 1962. The company continues to innovate, focusing on miniaturization and the development of high-performance thermistors. Murata's thermistors are known for their high quality, reliability, and robust market presence.

Murata’s NTC thermistors, such as the NCP/NCU and FTN series, are used for temperature detection and compensation, while PTC thermistors, like the PRF and PRG series, provide over-temperature and overcurrent protection. Murata also offers technical support for circuit optimization and thermal design.

In blood glucose meters, NTC thermistors measure environmental temperature, providing real-time data on the temperature of blood samples. This ensures accurate blood glucose readings, with an accuracy range of ±1°C to ±2°C, influenced by the construction and material of the test strips. Additionally, thermistors are crucial for battery temperature detection in low-power glucose meters to optimize battery life.

Low-Power Magnetic Sensors and Timing Devices for Medical Applications

In CGM applications, Murata's AMR sensors (magnetic switches) can be used to wake up devices, automatically activating Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) functionality when the device is removed from its sealed packaging. The Murata AMR MRMS534R sensor operates with extremely low power consumption, averaging only 0.08μA at 1.5V, making it suitable for low-voltage systems and enabling the use of smaller button batteries for more compact CGM devices. Future iterations of this sensor will be even smaller, with power consumption reduced to 30nA.

Murata also offers high-precision clock components for medical applications, such as the XRCGB-F1S/F2P series crystal oscillators. These devices provide exceptional frequency stability, with initial frequency deviation of only ±10ppm and temperature frequency deviation of ±10ppm (from -30°C to 85°C). They are ideal for wireless communication technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LPWA, offering high reliability and excellent frequency compensation, thus contributing to the efficiency of low-power Bluetooth solutions.

Conclusion

The continuous development of high-precision and low-power technologies is driving the evolution of smarter, more convenient, and energy-efficient healthcare products. These innovations provide accurate health data, reduce energy consumption, and extend device lifespan, meeting the needs for effective health management in both personal and medical settings. From personalized health monitoring to the growth of remote healthcare, these technologies are transforming the healthcare landscape and improving patient quality of life. Murata’s extensive experience in healthcare solutions, coupled with its comprehensive product range, makes it an ideal partner for advancing medical device development and capturing opportunities in the healthcare market.