QNX wades further into healthcare market

QNX Software Systems recently showed off its reference design, enabled to allow Bluetooth devices to connect medical peripherals like blood pressure monitors, weight scales and pulse oximeters with smartphones. The design was created particularly for use with the BlackBerry Playbook tablet, the Anaheim, Calif.-based company notes.

For in-hospital use, the technology also can relay data from peripheral devices to a laptop or PC, the company says. It's a key mobile move for a vendor with a long history of embedding their software in high-stakes, facility-based equipment like anesthesia-monitoring units, blood analysis devices, surgery lasers, and the like.

Reviewers praised the core QNX system as stable, flexible and with "rich" multimedia capabilities, including the ability to run Flash, and 3D imaging.

QNX began its move into the healthcare space last year, when parent company RIM confirmed it was replacing its BlackBerry OS with QNX's platform, starting with the Playbook and ultimately moving to all BlackBerry smartphones. Rumors continue to swirl over whether RIM will be configuring the QNX-enabled tablet to run Android apps, as well.

The vendor also just announced it will join the mobile healthcare development association, Continua Healthcare Alliance, and will bring its technology with it.

To learn more:
- read this iMedicalApps post
- here's the QNX news release
- check out this related IntoMobile post from September
- read this CNNMoney post from December