Movesense Sensor Firmware 2.3.1 Released – A Major Update for Medical Use
The new Movesense sensor firmware framework 2.3.1 brings significant new functionality to the Movesense MD sensor. The previous firmware version certified for medical use is 2.1.5, and subsequent updates have been intended for non-medical use only.
Version 2.3.1 therefore brings all the new benefits of firmware versions 2.2.0 and 2.3.0 to medical use.
New Features Enable New Use Cases
Notable new features include ECG output in millivolts and the 16-bit ECG data storage format it enables. This doubles the ECG recording time in the device’s internal memory, which could be used, for example, as an ECG event recorder. It also halves the amount of ECG data transmitted wirelessly, improving battery life and wireless transmission quality in situations with high Bluetooth traffic.
The Gatt SensorData protocol is now included in the sensor’s default firmware. It enables data measured by the Movesense MD to be collected on a computer using the open source Python client provided by Movesense. This allows clinically valid ECG and motion data to be collected directly on a laptop – a feature that has been frequently requested recently.
The update also gives medical developers the ability to use two Bluetooth connections simultaneously. Dual BLE allows one sensor to send data simultaneously to two host devices, for example, a phone and a smartwatch. This feature was introduced to the non-medical use in firmware 2.2.0 and now expands to the medical side with a few technical improvements.
New Tools for Developers
Software samples from previous non-medical updates that demonstrate the use of new features are now also becoming available for medical use. Recently released samples include dual_ble_ecgrr_app, offline_gatt_app, simple_ecglogger_app, and a log fetch support for the gatt_sensordata_app.
In addition, there are plenty of improvements and minor new features in memory handling, wireless communication, and general functionality. The bug fixes included in the update resolve all known practical issues. The few remaining known bugs relate to special situations that are so rare that they do not occur in normal use.
All changes are listed in the CHANGES.md file. If you are working with non-medical Movesense sensors, update your sensor to 2.3.1 using the Movesense Showcase app and the DFU file in this folder. For medical application developers, the firmware is available through the Movesense Medical software repository, to which access is granted separately.
We wish you successful coding! For feedback and support, use the normal channels via Bitbucket, Stackoverflow and email (info@movesense.com). However, first read the documentation that is a great guide for developing with Movesense, and also updated to cover the latest firmware.
Note: the featured image refers to movement measurement. For ECG, a chest strap or a patch electrode in the chest area is needed.
