ADI Unveils Maxim MAX86178 Medical AFE IC
Electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate
Suitable for wearable devices that measure everything


The medical device industry is looking to replace hospital-grade medical monitoring systems with tiny, low-power wireless devices that can be worn routinely at home or at work.

Analog Devices (ADI) announced on the 23rd that it has released a new triple-system vital sign analog front end (AFE), the 'MAX86178', that simplifies the design of remote patient monitoring (RPM) wearable devices.

The new product is a triple-system AFE that integrates three clinical-grade subsystems: optical, ECG, and bioimpedance. It can measure four common vital signs: electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG), heart rate (ECG, optical PPG), blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and biopotential difference and bioimpedance (BioZ), so there is no need to use a separate device to measure each value.

The package size is 2.6mm × 2.8mm, and the simplified design enables more complex derivative vital sign monitoring, and health indicators can also be derived through optical PPG and ECG timing synchronization implementation. For ultra-low power specifications, configuration options are provided for each subsystem, and battery life can be optimized according to the usage environment.

“By integrating three medical subsystems on a single chip, ADI’s new sensor fusion AFE opens new possibilities for chronic disease management, infectious disease diagnosis, and remote monitoring,” said Andrew Burt, general manager, Industrial and Healthcare Business Unit at Maxim Integrated. “It will support the development of compact wearable devices that will reduce hospital visits, improve the quality of healthcare services, and reduce costs.”

Meanwhile, on August 27, ADI acquired Maxim Integrated, the developer of the MAX86178 AFE product, and became a company with annual sales of over $9 billion.