Over ten years ago I worked with www.opto22.com in Temecula, California which is the market leader in IP enabling PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers). Their solutions allow any non IP enabled device (PLC or other) to become IP enabled with complete integration into any enterprise grade SNMP system. The purpose back then was to use a FHSS (Frequency Hopped Spread Spectrum Radio) and figure out an embedded solution. Now they have moved forward to an enterprise grade 802.11a/b/g/n approach. So, the question comes up; what the heck does industrial automation have to do with medical devices? Pretty much the same in a lot of areas. You have a lot of legacy non-IP enabled serial based medical devices that were never intended to be "networked". In some instances you simply do not need the bandwidth of 802.11a/b/g/n; but Zigbee needs to be used. (You also have power issues as well from 802.11a/b/g/n.) From the use model (remote servicing) you now need a true M to M (Man to Machine) interface. Now with the global move to 4G and the use model of GSM/CDMA; the "connectivity" to the device end has been baked, and you also have the back end solution as well enabled. Integra Systems, Inc. is working on several design concepts to enable in-home and out of the hospital enterprise equipment to realize true M to M.
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