Medical Implant Communication Service

Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) is the name of a specification for using a frequency band between 401 and 406 MHz in communication with medical implants. It allows bi-directional radio communication with a pacemaker or other electronic implants. The maximum transmit power is very low, EIRP=25 microwatt, in order to reduce the risk of interfering with other users of the same band. The maximum used bandwidth at any one time is 300 kHz, which makes it a low bit rate system compared with WiFi or Bluetooth. The main advantage is the additional flexibility compared to previously used inductive technologies, which required the external transceiver to touch the skin of the patient. MICS gives a range of a couple of meters.

The standard is defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI):

Standards

• FCC Rules and Regulations, “MICS Band Plan”, Part 95, Jan. 2003.

• 47 CFR 95.601-95.673 Subpart E, Federal Communications Commission, 1999.

• ETSI EN 301 839-1 "Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM);Radio equipment in the frequency range 402 MHz to 405 MHz for Ultra Low Power Active Medical Implants and Accessories;Part 1: Technical characteristics, including electromagnetic compatibility requirements, and test methods.", European Telecommunications Standards Institute, 2002.

Different antennas are used for implanted communication inside living bodies, most advanced type is communication inside human body, using implanted nodes, for these sort of applications, dipole, loop and Patch antennas can be used within this band.

Chip vendor

• Zarlink

Cardiac device vendors

• Boston Scientific
• Biotronik
• Cameron Health
• Medtronic
• St. Jude Medical