EMC coexistence in medical environments and PSU-where are we?

From gadget to vital, Connected Devices and Internet of Things (IoT) are everywhere, and we see them gradually filtering through, changing our lives in many ways.

- Patrick Le Fèvre Powerbox Chief Marketing & Communication Officer

Introduction

The exponential development of small to large products embedding radio-transmitters is driving forwards, albeit not without some concern in terms of interference and equipment disturbance, especially in the case of medical applications where the consequences could be severe!

With the plethora of products transmitting radio signals it becomes very difficult and complex for medical equipmentmanufacturers to ensure that their equipmentis secure when using either published international standards or proprietary protocols of which many are operatingat unlicensed frequencies in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) or MICS (Medical Implant Communication Service) bands to properly operate without interfering in, or being interfered with by other equipment. Consequently, in ensuring wireless coexistence in medicals applications, regulatory bodies the world over have focused their efforts to standardize protocols and processes that require power supplies manufacturers to include “Wireless Coexistence” testing and verification when designing power sources for medical equipment.

When the “unpredictable” could happen! As the number of Connected Devices and radio transmissions within medical environments has increased, the number of cases of medical equipment reporting false alarms, random failures or malfunctioning, has grown significantly, warning the medical community about the coexistence of multiple radio transmitting equipments that patients’ lives might depend upon.

As the world would literally stop without reliable power, thankfully the power industry has a long history in building robust power systems. Industry is perpetually innovating new technologies,