In an interview, Vivek Tyagi, Managing Director at Analog Devices India, speaks with TimesTech about the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of healthcare technology. He discusses improving wearable accuracy for clinical use, enabling real-time health insights through edge processing, and balancing power consumption, reliability and affordability. Vivek also highlights the role of semiconductor integration, local innovation and industry collaboration in building accessible, scalable healthcare monitoring solutions for India.
Vivek: The biggest challenge is the quality of the signal you are able to capture. With a wearable, several factors can affect this, including sensor placement, optics, movement, housing and the gap between the sensor and the skin
Noise and motion are also important challenges, particularly with signals such as PPG and ECG. The sensor, the optics and the mechanical design need to work together to capture the best possible signal. The next step is ensuring that the data demonstrates accuracy suitable for clinical evaluation
That requires benchmarking the measurements against ground truth, supported by appropriate algorithms and validation. Moving from fitness and wellness into healthcare is not just about improving the sensor; it is about improving the quality of the overall system and building trust in the data
Vivek: edge processing, some of the computation can happen directly on the wearable rather than relying on data being sent elsewhere. The device can analyse vital-sign data and perform inference locally, which is useful when connectivity is limited or unavailable
Models trained on larger datasets can also be embedded in the device, enabling certain inferences to be made locally. The opportunity lies in how different layers work together. The wearable can process information at the edge, the smartphone can combine signals from different sensors, and the cloud can analyse data over longer periods. It is not necessarily about choosing edge over cloud; the approach depends on the application’s requirements, including latency, power consumption and connectivity.
Vivek: One of the things we have discussed is that products need to be developed with the requirements of the Indian market in mind. Today, there are cases where some products may not be designed specifically for India’s healthcare environments and requirements, but that does not necessarily address the specific requirements of the market
For wearables intended for potential use in healthcare settings, data quality, appropriate validation and applicable regulatory requirements are important. Healthcare professionals need confidence in the measurements before they can consider how these technologies might support monitoring and care
A practical starting point could be evaluating devices in hospital wards or step-down ICUs, where readings can be compared with established measurement methods. This can help assess their suitability for different healthcare applications. Over time, there may be opportunities to extend monitoring beyond hospitals, subject to appropriate validation. Awareness and affordability also remain important considerations in making continuous monitoring more accessible across India.
Vivek: These factors are closely connected. When designing a smaller wearable, engineers must consider how to accommodate the sensors, optics and battery within a compact form factor while maintaining the signal quality required for reliable measurements. Measurement frequency also affects power consumption. Some vital signs may need to be measured every five minutes, while others may only require measurement every ten minutes. Determining when data needs to be captured can help the device operate in a lower-power state between measurements.
Integration is another important consideration. Integrating functions such as the analogue front end and optics can support more compact device designs. The objective is to balance form factor, power consumption and signal quality, rather than optimise any one parameter in isolation
Vivek: Semiconductor integration is one important lever. Integrating more functions into a single device can reduce component count, address space constraints and potentially lower the bill of materials. Efficient components that maintain performance as battery voltage falls can also support improved overall device efficiency
Scale is equally important. Mainstream silicon CMOS processes can help keep semiconductor unit costs low, while higher production volumes may further reduce device costs as manufacturing scales. For India, the opportunity lies in combining integration, efficient semiconductor design, manufacturing scale and locally developed products to support more affordable and accessible monitoring solutions
Vivek: One important step is to invest more in designing, developing and manufacturing products in India, with local healthcare requirements in mind. This also requires a supporting ecosystem that brings together semiconductor technology, device development, manufacturing, certification and capabilities in cloud analytics and AI
A collaborative approach between semiconductor companies, device manufacturers, research institutions and universities can help strengthen this ecosystem. Analog Devices can contribute its expertise in sensing and semiconductor technologies, while collaboration across the value chain can support the development of solutions tailored to India’s healthcare environments. Building these capabilities locally can also create opportunities to leverage India’s engineering and R&D talent.
