| In collaboration with Wilson Wei Sheng Wang | | | | detect and evaluate cancer, such as of the lung or |
| The medical equipment industry has always remained | | | | breast. It also can be used to evaluate the heart's |
| at the cutting edge of technology to enhance or | | | | metabolism and blood flow and examine brain |
| complement the skills of medical personnel in saving | | | | function. |
| lives. Millions of dollars, and sometimes billions, have | | | | Ultrasound (Sonography) |
| been spent by hospitals, medical units and clinics in | | | | This diagnostic imaging technique uses high-frequency |
| acquiring the latest equipment. The question is, why | | | | sound waves and a computer to create images of |
| does the medical sector invest so much in these | | | | blood vessels, tissues, and organs. Ultrasounds are |
| equipment? The answer is clear: the medical industry | | | | used to view internal organs as they function, and to |
| is all about saving lives. Medical equipment are mission | | | | assess blood flow through various vessels. |
| critical devices that must not fail under any | | | | Electronic Records Management |
| circumstance despite being deployed in pretty harsh | | | | The recent boom in the global healthcare industry has |
| conditions such as ambulances and mobile | | | | ramped up demand not only for healthcare |
| transportation units. In addition, advances in imaging | | | | professionals but also for related IT equipment. |
| and data processing have automated diagnostic | | | | Government regulations such as the Health Insurance |
| evaluation, reflecting the need for a storage device | | | | Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are |
| that can ensure the high-performance and reliability of | | | | gradually forcing healthcare providers to upgrade |
| such systems. | | | | legacy information systems with the latest in |
| Critical Issues in Medical Equipment | | | | laboratory information management, picture archiving |
| Size and Weight - Size can be critical in systems | | | | and communication, as well as medical records |
| destined for use in healthcare environments such as | | | | systems. |
| laboratories, emergency rooms, doctors' offices, and | | | | Laboratory information management system (LIMS) |
| ambulances. Therefore, an embedded computer may | | | | According to market research firm Frost & Sullivan, |
| take up space no greater than the ones used by | | | | regulatory compliance as well as the standardization |
| single-chip microcontrollers. Weight is also an | | | | of business practices and have catapulted the LIMS |
| important factor if the equipment is portable or | | | | market into the growth stage, with market revenues |
| intended for mobile use. | | | | likely to increase from US$209 million in 2003 to |
| Power Consumption - System reliability is reduced by | | | | US$328 million in 2009. The development of LIMS has |
| high heat buildup. Therefore, it is important to | | | | been influenced by the trend toward the |
| minimize power consumption when replacing | | | | maintenance of electronic records in lieu of |
| microcontrollers with embedded PCs. Power | | | | paper-based documents. LIMS assists lab workers in |
| consumption and heat generation are important | | | | handling structured data records such as samples, |
| criteria in the design of portable and mobile systems. | | | | tests performed, and their results. |
| Shock and Vibration Resistance - Whether intended | | | | Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) |
| for fixed or mobile use, every medical product must | | | | PACS is an electronics system that uses an image |
| be transported from where it is made to where it will | | | | server to exchange X-rays, CT scans and other |
| be used. Desktop PC motherboards and plug-in cards | | | | medical images over a network. Due to its legal |
| are notorious for needing adjustment by a trained | | | | mandate under the provisions of the HIPAA, market |
| technician after delivery, prior to use. | | | | research firm Frost & Sullivan projects that 65.2 |
| Such sensitivity to shock and vibration is not | | | | percent of all hospitals and 12.3 percent of U.S |
| acceptable in embedded applications. In portable or | | | | imaging centers will install PACS by 2007. This is not |
| mobile systems, system electronics undergo a wide | | | | surprising considering that PACS offers several |
| range of movement during storage, handling, and | | | | benefits. The film-less system speeds up the |
| operation. Vibration and sudden jerking may subject | | | | turnaround time required for delivering images/x-rays |
| components and solder joints to continual mechanical | | | | to the attending physicians, since they will no longer |
| stress until chips, modules, and boards become | | | | need to wait for film images to be processed and |
| partially or fully dislodged or disconnected. In addition, | | | | delivered before they are analyzed. As a result, |
| connector pin conductivity can be degraded by | | | | doctors will be able to make quick decisions in |
| corrosion resulting from electrochemical effects that | | | | emergency or life-threatening medical cases. |
| are exacerbated by vibration. | | | | LIMS and PACS both require a high level of |
| Operating Temperature Range - Most medical | | | | performance, availability and reliability, as immediate |
| systems are used in relatively benign indoor | | | | access to patient information is critical in emergency |
| environments. Embedded electronics intended for | | | | scenarios. |
| such use are typically rated for operation at | | | | The Solid State Disk Advantage |
| temperatures up to 55°C. However, some medical | | | | So what do solid state flash disks offer for these |
| equipment enclosures need to be fully sealed-to | | | | applications? |
| protect against spilled liquids such as blood or | | | | Medical imaging systems are performance-hungry |
| chemicals, therefore air vents and cooling fans may | | | | applications that require real-time performance and |
| not be permissible. In these cases, internal | | | | higher resolutions while medical information systems |
| temperature can become elevated, which may | | | | need reliable components to minimize downtime. All of |
| require embedded electronics to be rated for | | | | these requirements can be easily met by utilizing |
| operation up to 70°C. In mobile or portable | | | | flash-based solid state disk for storage or as a cache |
| equipment, an extended operating temperature range | | | | solution. High transfer rates allow immediate delivery |
| of -20° to 80°C may be called for. | | | | of real time information, while the ruggedized |
| Environmental Factors | | | | packaging of certain solid state disk models, such as |
| Electrostatic discharge (ESD) and electromagnetic | | | | BiTMICRO's E-Disk SSD, immunizes the storage |
| interference (EMI), both generated and received, are | | | | device from hazardous ESD and EMI. Moreover, the |
| key concerns in medical applications. High frequency | | | | VME and cPCI architectures are most commonly |
| microprocessor clocks, which for PCs commonly fall in | | | | used in medical imaging systems, and E-Disk solid |
| the range of 33-166 MHz, can easily interfere with | | | | state disks are tailor fit for any VME, cPCI, PMC |
| low-level signal detection or stimulus generation. | | | | storage module. |
| Additionally, medical systems often must operate in | | | | Solid state flash disks are capable of much higher |
| the presence of strong electromagnetic emissions | | | | transfer rates and IOPS relative to other storage |
| from other devices situated nearby. As a result, | | | | mediums such as magnetic disk drives. Flash-based |
| components embedded in these systems must be | | | | solid state disks inherently consume less power and |
| designed with high noise immunity and low noise | | | | generate a smaller amount of heat due to the |
| generation. Consideration also must be given to | | | | absence of spindle motors. ESD and EMI, both |
| conductive radiation and susceptibility on power | | | | generated and received, will be minimized with flash |
| supply and I/O connections. Undesired system resets | | | | drive implementation. On top of that, the non-volatile |
| and data loss must, of course, be prevented, but the | | | | nature of flash memory makes it resistant to shock |
| potential danger to human lives from high levels of | | | | and vibration, a useful feature in rugged mobile |
| electric, electrostatic, or electromagnetic emissions is | | | | environments. |
| a far greater concern in medical applications, requiring | | | | BiTMICRO's E-Disk solid state flash disk has a unique |
| designers to incorporate preventive measures. | | | | feature that sets it apart from its DRAM-SSD and |
| Quality and Reliability | | | | HDD counterparts. E-Disk's patented PowerGuard(R) |
| Naturally, the required level of system quality and | | | | provides temporary power in the event of a power |
| reliability depends on the particular application. For | | | | loss, allowing the disk to flush all the content in the |
| example, equipment used in the entry or retrieval of | | | | cache into the flash memory, ensuring data reliability |
| non-critical information can include fewer fail-safe | | | | and availability in mobile medical systems. |
| mechanisms than systems performing life-critical | | | | It is also noteworthy to mention BiTMICRO's |
| patient monitoring or blood chemistry control. | | | | extended warranty support programs in support for |
| However, it is categorically safe to say that medical | | | | non-obsolescence and quality control of computerized |
| users are never as forgiving of system malfunctions | | | | medical equipment. Extended warranty ensures timely |
| or crashes as are the users of desktop PCs. | | | | and original or functionally equivalent replacements for |
| Practically every PC user experience messages such | | | | BiTMICRO products that need repair or attention, up |
| as "Fatal error #XYZ" from time to time, but such | | | | to a period covering 10 years after original purchase. |
| incidents are totally unacceptable in medical | | | | Price Trend |
| equipment, where consequences can range from loss | | | | Now that we've established the technical viability of |
| of critical data to loss of life. | | | | solid state flash disks in medical systems, let's |
| Product Life Span | | | | examine the practicality of flash disk deployment in |
| Regarding product longevity, desktop PC | | | | enterprise storage. Though there still is a price |
| manufacturers and users have a different set of | | | | premium for solid state disks over rotational drives, |
| priorities compared with the medical systems | | | | the gap between HDD and solid state flash disk |
| industry. Desktop PC vendors strive to bring out new | | | | quotes is seen to narrow significantly-with a |
| technologies constantly, and the typical half-life (to | | | | difference of only about $0.05 per MByte in |
| obsolescence) of PC chipsets is around 1.5 years. | | | | 2007-despite the huge performance advantages of |
| Clearly, while it may benefit PC manufacturers to | | | | solid state disks (at 100x-150x over magnetic drives |
| market a new motherboard, video card, disk | | | | in terms of sustained transfers and IOPS). |
| controller, or network controller every year or so, | | | | Web-Feet Research also projects a major decline in |
| this situation is unacceptable for medical equipment | | | | the solid state flash disk/HDD cost ratio by |
| manufacturers. Medical products typically require two | | | | approximately four times, from 433:1 ($0.078 vs. |
| or more years of development, followed by several | | | | $0.0018 per MByte) in 2003 to 107:1 ($0.096 vs. |
| more years to gain FDA approval. Therefore, medical | | | | $0.0009 per MByte) in 2006. Solid state flash disks will |
| systems design cannot be based on components | | | | also maintain its cost-per-MByte advantage over |
| with a lifespan of as short as 18 to 24 months. | | | | DRAM-based SSDs. |
| Medical Diagnosis in the Digital Age | | | | One thing the solid state disk industry has benefited |
| The advent of digital technologies gave birth to a | | | | from is the continued decline in flash memory prices. |
| variety of electronic medical equipment requiring high | | | | High demand for portable electronic devices such as |
| performance and reliability. The following are some | | | | MMS-capable phones, digital cameras, and MP3 players |
| examples: | | | | has driven semiconductor manufacturers to boost |
| Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) | | | | flash memory density and output. Market research |
| MRI is an imaging technique used primarily for | | | | firm Web-Feet Research predicts that the price per |
| diagnostic purposes to produce high quality images of | | | | MByte of solid state flash disk will fall by an average |
| the human body, both internal and external. MRI is | | | | of 80.86 percent annually within a 5-year period |
| based on the principle of nuclear magnetic resonance, | | | | starting 2004. |
| a spectroscopic technique used by scientists to | | | | |
| obtain microscopic chemical and physical information | | | | Figure 1: Disk drive comparison, $ / MB |
| about molecules. | | | | Conclusion |
| Computed axial tomography (CAT scan or CT scan) | | | | The digitization of diagnostics and records |
| CAT scan is a computerized x-ray procedure that | | | | management procedures in the medical industry has |
| produces cross-sectional images of the human body. | | | | facilitated the evaluation, sharing, and archiving of |
| The images are far more detailed than x-ray films, | | | | patient images and information. However, these data |
| and can reveal disease or abnormalities in tissue and | | | | intensive applications require storage components |
| bone. The procedure is usually noninvasive and brief. | | | | that can operate in an environment where IT system |
| Positron emission tomography (PET scan) | | | | downtime can be fatal. Solid state flash disk is the |
| PET scan is a test that combines computed | | | | ideal solution for medical systems, providing fast |
| tomography (CT) and nuclear scanning. Compared to | | | | throughput and scalability at a price that belies its |
| CT scans and MRI, PET produces less-detailed | | | | wide performance lead over magnetic disk drives. |
| pictures of an organ. A PET scan is often used to | | | | |