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Smartphone Biosensor Applications: MediaTek's Innovation

biosensor smartphone mediatek health monitoring sensor

This article explores the world of smartphone biosensors, focusing on MediaTek’s advancements in the field and the diverse applications these sensors enable. We’ll delve into the basics of smartphone biosensors and examine how they’re being used in cutting-edge technologies.

Introduction to Smartphone Biosensors

Smartphone biosensors are essentially biosensors integrated into smartphones, leveraging the increasing power of smartphone hardware and software. The development of CMOS cameras and optical biosensors has paved the way for advanced imaging and spectrometry-based detection techniques directly within smartphones. This has led to innovations like smartphone-based microscopes and lens-free smartphone microscopes, gaining significant traction in various fields.

The following table summarizes some biosensor-based imaging techniques currently utilized on smartphone platforms:

Sensing MechanismDetect TargetLimit of DetectionSmartphone Model
Contact MicroscopeWhite Blood cells>=1.6 µm (Samsung) >=1.5 µm (Sony-Ericsson)Samsung Galaxy S2 and Sony Ericsson Aino with 8-megapixel camera
Lensfree microscopyRed Blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, Giardia lamblia cysts>= 2.2 µmMoto Zine ZN5 with 5 Megapixel camera
Lensfree shadow imagingBlood cells, Micro-organisms>= 500 nmSamsung Galaxy S4 with 13 Megapixels
Lensfree Image RecognitionPaper Based Blood typing Device-Google Nexus 5

Biosensors have a wide array of applications extending beyond smartphones, including food analysis, environmental monitoring, wastewater treatment, glucose level monitoring, protein engineering, and drug discovery.

MediaTek’s Contribution: A 6-in-1 Biosensor Module

MediaTek has recently introduced what they claim is the world’s first 6-in-1 smartphone biosensor module. This module aims to provide a comprehensive snapshot of vital health metrics in just a few seconds.

Here’s a list of the measurements it performs:

  • Heart Rate
  • Heart Rate Variability
  • SpO2 (Peripheral Oxygen Saturation)
  • Blood Pressure Trends
  • ECG (Electrocardiography)
  • PPG (Photoplethysmography)

Smartphone Biosensor (Image Courtesy MediaTek Inc.)

The MediaTek Smartphone Biosensor module (MT6381) features an I2C/SPI digital interface for seamless integration into smartphone systems. This module represents a significant step toward turning smartphones into powerful personal health monitoring devices.