STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, today announced innovative biosensing technologies that will power next-generation wearable devices, significantly improving their functionality and user experience.

ST announced on the 13th that it has launched a new biosensing chip that supports next-generation healthcare wearable devices such as smart watches, sports bands, connected rings, and smart glasses.

The ST1VAFE3BX chip performs activity detection on-chip, combining high-precision biopotential input with ST’s proven inertial sensing and AI cores to deliver faster performance at lower power.

“Wearable electronics are a key technology supporting the rapidly growing personal health awareness and fitness,” said Simone Ferri, Vice President, APMS Group and General Manager, MEMS Subgroup, STMicroelectronics. “Today, anyone can monitor heart rate, track activity, and obtain geographic location information via a device worn on their wrist,” he said. “Now, ST’s latest biosensor chip takes wearables to the next level, delivering motion and body-signal detection in an ultra-small form factor and power-saving manner.”

Analysts at Yole Development expect wearable monitors to open up new market opportunities beyond the general wellness market, such as consumer healthcare devices that are approved by health authorities and sold for medical purposes.

ST's chip design experts are driving innovation across all domains by implementing precision sensor inputs perfectly in silicon, enabling advanced functions such as heart rate variability, cognitive function, and mental state.

The ST1VAFE3BX chip opens the opportunity to expand wearable applications beyond the wrist to other parts of the body, such as intelligent patches for lifestyle or medical monitoring purposes. ST customers BMI (BM Innovations) and Pison, both leading innovators in this space, have quickly adopted ST’s new sensors to accelerate new product development.

BMI is an Electronic Design Contracting Company with extensive experience in the wireless sensing field, with a broad portfolio of projects including cutting-edge heart rate and performance monitoring systems.

“ST’s new biosensor enabled us to develop a next-generation system that provides precise ECG analysis and exercise performance monitoring in a chest band or small patch,” said Richard Mayerhofer, Managing Director at BMI. “Combining the analog signals from the vAFE with motion data from the accelerometer in a single, compact package makes it easier to perform sophisticated data analysis based on situational awareness while also enabling additional support for AI algorithms directly on the sensor, which is exactly the functionality we were looking for.”

“ST’s new biosensor is an excellent solution to support smartwatch gesture recognition, cognitive performance, and neural health,” said David Cipoletta, CTO of Phison, a developer focused on developing cutting-edge technologies to enhance health and human potential. “With this advanced solution, Phison has significantly improved the functionality and user experience of wearable devices.”

The ST1VAFE3BX is currently in production in a 2mm x 2mm 12-lead LGA package and is available through eSTore (free samples available) and distributors. The price is $1.50 for 1,000 pieces.

Meanwhile, a sensing technology demonstration based on ST1VAFE3BX was held at the ST booth at Electronica 2024, a major industrial fair held in Munich, Germany from November 12 to 15. For more information, visit www.st.com/biosensors.