Silicon Labs Biosensors Add ECG Measurement for Advanced HRM in Wearables

Silicon Labs has introduced a family of optical biometric sensors providing advanced heart rate monitoring (HRM) along with electrocardiogram (ECG) capabilities for a wide range of wearable fitness and wellness products.

The new Si117x sensor modules combine ultra-low power with high sensitivity, making them ideal for smart watches and wrist-based, patch-type and other wearables requiring long battery life and enhanced HRM accuracy. To simplify development, Silicon Labs offers a complete, end-to-end sensing solution featuring the Si117x sensor module, HRM algorithm, Wireless Gecko SoCs for Bluetooth® connectivity, and an easy-to-use, wrist-based development kit with sample code and example projects.

The sensors offer fast sampling speeds, a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR >100 dB), and the ability to cancel out ambient noise and erroneous data, resulting in high-quality signals that make it easier to track heart rates despite challenging physiologies, varying skin tones and the presence of tattoos. By combining ECG measurements with optical HR measurements, the Si117x sensors allow developers to unlock new potential biometrics for wearables.