MindTree Unveils Bluetooth Solutions Suite for In-car Health Applications

EtherMind is an extension to the trend of installing in-car infotainment units that sport rich features like large displays and enhanced connectivity and also takes note of the fact that people are spending more time in their cars. It provides the added convenience of monitoring personal health using the car head unit to wirelessly connect to a wide range of consumer medical devices that use Bluetooth technology. These include heart rate monitors, thermometers, glucose meters and pulse oximeters. In addition to pre-existing and mature solutions for medical applications such as the fully-qualified classic Bluetooth Health Device Profile and a Continua certified IEEE 11073 stack, MindTree’s Bluetooth Low Energy profiles offer consumers a simple and powerful way to monitor their health in a car.
With very low power consumption, an enhanced range and the ability to run for years on a coin cell battery, Bluetooth Low Energy opens up opportunities in new markets such as health and wellness devices, sports and fitness equipment and watches. It also allows existing Bluetooth enabled products, such as the automotive head unit, to connect easily with such devices. With the market anticipating Bluetooth 4.0 dual-mode technology based smartphones in the second half of 2011, MindTree’s offering can help automakers propel personal area connectivity based in-car innovation and consumer experience on the “fourth screen” as well.
“With our 12-year history in Bluetooth technology, MindTree is uniquely poised to enable a new chapter of in-car consumer experience by bringing wireless health monitoring into the car, said MindTree’s Dr. Raghunath Govindachari. “The classic Bluetooth version of EtherMind has already shipped in millions of OEM devices worldwide and, with this significant addition to our portfolio, we are confident of bringing reliable and interoperable health monitoring applications to life for car occupants.”
MindTree has been an active Bluetooth SIG member since 2000, participating actively in the Bluetooth standards process and several SIG working groups. MindTree has rigorously tested its EtherMind solution for interoperability in several Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) UnPlugFests and EtherMind has also completed stringent testing with customer and in-house device libraries. The current Co-chair of the Bluetooth SIG Medical Working Group is a MindTree engineer who has significantly contributed to the finalisation of the Low Energy profile specifications. MindTree also played a significant role in the adoption of the Bluetooth v4.0 specification itself with three of its engineers being acknowledged by the Bluetooth SIG for their contributions.