Reference Design For Secure Telehealth 

This design delivers a robust and secure framework for building advanced connected medical devices, helping accelerate regulatory approval with pre-configured design documentation templates.

The Secure Telehealth Reference Design is a comprehensive remote patient monitoring solution designed to measure heart rate, blood oxygen saturation levels, and body temperature. As a connected, single-board system, it ensures secure and reliable data transmission through AWS or Azure cloud connectivity. This allows medical professionals to remotely access, analyze, and diagnose patient data in real-time, leading to timely and informed treatment decisions. Additionally, the board supports Bluetooth connectivity, enabling direct access to patient data without requiring cloud integration.

This reference design by Microchip Technology serves as a foundational architecture for various edge-to-cloud medical applications, including telehealth vital sign monitoring, remote and stationary patient monitoring, connected drug delivery systems such as nebulizers and glucose meters, and integrated medical modules for imaging, surgical, and other healthcare devices. The system integrates the WBZ350, a 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4F MCU module with Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) 5.2 capability, ensuring efficient communication. Security is enhanced with the ATECC608C hardware security element, providing secure authentication and encryption. Power management is handled by the MCP1640 and MCP1711 regulators, ensuring energy efficiency. Furthermore, medical-grade signal conditioning and measurement technology from ams OSRAM enhance accuracy and reliability. 

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Key components of this design include the WBZ350PE-I, a globally certified RF-ready multi-protocol MCU module featuring Bluetooth and Zigbee connectivity with advanced security and robust analog capabilities. The ATECC608C-TFLXTLSS-PROTO cryptographic co-processor ensures secure hardware-based key storage and integrates Elliptic Curve Diffie Hellman (ECDH) and Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) for high-level encryption and authentication. The MCP1711T-18I/OT is a highly efficient CMOS Low Dropout (LDO) regulator that delivers up to 150 mA of current while consuming only 0.6 μA of quiescent current. The MCP1640T-I/CHY, a high-efficiency synchronous step-up DC-DC converter, operates at 500 kHz and supports up to 800 mA Isw, optimizing power usage.

The bio-signal and temperature sensors integrated into this reference design provide accurate health monitoring capabilities. The AS7057A-BWLM bio-signal sensor analog front-end (AFE) detects photoplethysmogram (PPG) and pulse transit time (PTT) signals to measure SpO2 and heart rate. The SFH 7016 multi-chip LED emitter includes green (530 nm), red (655 nm), and infrared (940 nm) wavelengths for precise signal detection. The SFH 2201 and SFH 2704 silicon PIN photodiodes further enhance sensitivity for bio-signal monitoring. 

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To support development, Microchip offers tools such as the PIC32CX-BZ3 and WBZ35x Curiosity Board, which facilitates the evaluation of WBZ350 modules. The ATECC608 Trust Board enables secure authentication prototyping, while ams OSRAM provides evaluation kits for bio-sensors and digital temperature sensors to streamline product development. 

Microchip Technology has tested this reference design. It includes a bill of materials (BOM), schematics, assembly drawing, printed circuit board (PCB) layout, and more. Additional data about the reference design is available on the company’s website. To learn more, click here.