“With a single sensor we can work into the fitness, wellness and life-care arenas,” said Asher Gendelman of Zephyr Technology. This sensor, which, according to the Zephyr Technology website, “captures and transmits comprehensive physiological data including Heart Rate, Breathing Rate, Posture, Thoracic skin temperature, and activity level,” could be a key element for enabling a next generation PERS (Personal Emergency Response System); one that is about proactively finding issues, before the patient feels symptoms.

In the above interview, Gendleman talks about the sensor Zephyr Technology has developed, how it connects via Bluetooth or, in the future, a mesh-network to smartphones, tablets or remote computers and the different applications it enables, such as the gamification of health. Gendleman talks about the different customers for these devices, including adult children purchasing the devices to monitor their elderly parents.

Pending FDA approval, they are also looking at being able to use it for remote and very personal electrocardiograms (ECG). Zephyr Technology reinforces data out of a new report from Parks Associates suggesting that nearly 1/4 of U.S. smart phone owners are interested in a mobile app supporting communications with their doctors. This sort of low-cost sensing technology, coupled with transparent communications to health-care professionals, could be especially valuable in rural areas where doctors and health clinics are often far from the patient.

Although the devices may be purchased at retail on their website, they are in discussions with major service providers about bundling their devices into service provider packages. Their software development kits  make it easy for service providers and other developers to quickly integrate Zephyr data into other apps.

In talking with Gendleman, one gets the sense that they are just scratching the surface in terms of the applications for this vital-signs sensor that, because of its convenient form-factor, can be always on; both physically and electronically. Even though they are a relatively young company (2003), they have already made a difference, as seen in their role in the 2010 rescue of Chilean miners several years ago.

[ViodiTV coverage of CONNECTIONS at TIA 2012 brought to you by Parks Associates].