Healthcare Specialist Leverages LTE and GNSS for Next-Gen Wound Therapy in Patient Homes

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is increasingly done in patient homes. One reason is because it eliminates the need for patients to trek to a hospital or clinic, which can be challenging for those who live in rural areas, don’t have a vehicle, or have mobility issues. Another reason is because it frees those facilities and their staff to focus on care that can’t be provided at home.

In-home NPWT devices can leverage cellular to support applications such as remotely monitoring patient usage to ensure that they’re worn properly and that their batteries and other components are functioning correctly. Cellular also enables remote firmware updates to maximize the security and privacy of patient data, as well as adding capabilities such as cloud storage.Cellular is ideal because it ensures connectivity when patients don’t have Wi-Fi in their home. Healthcare providers also don’t have to field patient calls about how to connect their NPWT device to their Wi-Fi network. Instead, the device automatically detects the right cellular network and connects.

The Challenge:

A major NPWT specialist wanted to add 4G LTE to its existing device design, as well as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology so healthcare providers always know the exact location of their high-value equipment. One challenge was that the device wasn’t designed to support cellular and GNSS antennas. Those had to be added to the existing design in a way that didn’t require expensive, time-consuming engineering work.

Another challenge was carrier certification, where the mobile operator sets requirements for signal strength, data throughput, antenna performance, and other aspects. Carrier certification is mandatory before a device is allowed to use that operator’s network. And if a device will use multiple networks, then there’s the added challenge of passing multiple operators’ unique certification requirements. (For a deeper dive, see “Why Cellular Pre-Certification is Critical and How to Successfully Navigate the Process.”)

“We needed to add reliable LTE and GNSS capabilities into a device that simply wasn’t designed for it — without compromising performance or certification timelines,” the specialist says.

The NPWT device also is compact, which created another challenge: squeezing in the cellular and GNSS antennas without compromising their performance and reliability.

“Meeting cellular certification targets was our biggest worry, especially given the limited space within the device,” the specialist says.

The Solution:

To overcome those challenges, the NPWT specialist turned to Taoglas for antennas and engineering services to ensure that the enhanced design met all of the company’s and carrier requirements. Based on Taoglas’ recommendations, the NPWT specialist chose:

• The Taoglas Warrior PA.710.A, an embedded antenna covering 698-960 MHz and 1710-2690 MHz, giving the device the flexibility to use wide variety of bands and mobile operators. It also enables fallback to GPRS, EDGE, and other cellular technologies when the device is used in places where LTE coverage is unavailable. And at just 40x5x6 mm, the PA.710.A is an ideal fit — literally — for the NPWT device’s compact form factor.
• The Taoglas Unifier GGBLA.01, an embedded ceramic loop antenna covering GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou. This design helps ensure that devices can be located even in challenging environments where one constellation’s signals are weak or unavailable but another’s are accessible. The edge-mounted GGBLA.01 is 3.2×1.6×0.5 mm, a svelte design with big performance: Its peak gain of 3.3 dBi is on par with much larger 15-18 mm patch antennas.
• The Taoglas CSA.10, CSA.20, CSA.30, and CSA.31 cellular engineering services, which cover aspects such antenna feasibility, testing, matching, and fine tuning, as well as Total Radiated Power (TRP) and Total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS) testing for carrier certification. These services enable customers to leverage Taoglas’ decades of experience with hundreds of different types of devices and networks to get their new or enhanced products to market quickly and cost-effectively.

“Taoglas’ engineering expertise and testing services were critical,” the NPWT specialist says. “They helped us confidently integrate both LTE and GNSS into a very challenging design.”

The Outcome:

By partnering with Taoglas, the NPWT specialist achieved its goal of quickly and cost-effectively transforming its existing device into a connected, intelligent, competitive healthcare solution. Adding LTE enables real-time firmware updates, cloud storage, and diagnostic monitoring, while GNSS supports device tracking. Just what the doctor ordered — and then some.

“With Taoglas, we were able to bring advanced connectivity features to market faster, while maintaining confidence in performance and certification,” the specialist says.

Get in touch for orders or any queries: sales@rfdesign.co.za / +27 21 555 8400

Courtesy of Taoglas