Introduction
This is a case study of a Bio Business and SME-size company from the medical technology Industry.
Bio Business started in 2009 when Mostafa Elwakeel and two friends, who were medical and software engineers, decided to create a company focused on medical equipment and design.
They established its main R&D center in Cairo, Egypt, and a manufacturing in Serdang, Malaysia. These three entrepreneurs spotted a huge opportunity to leverage Internet of Things (IoT) technology to improve medical devices.
They began developing crucial items such as patient-monitoring ECG devices and ventilators, and demand was high from the very beginning.
Not only did they sell their own brand of medical devices in Egypt, but they also began making ventilators and other essential equipment, like CPAP monitors, for big companies like Philips, Siemens, and GE.
Their innovative approach quickly made them a key player in the medical equipment industry.
Also, read The Role of Raspberry Pi in Sfera Labs.
Challenges in Creating IoT Monitoring Devices
Bio Business quickly moved into making ventilators and IoT devices that could capture and share medical imaging data, like ultrasounds, x-rays, and MRIs.
For their next project, they wanted to create IoT monitoring devices to sell to major companies like Siemens, GE, and Philips.
These new devices needed to provide important details about the environment, such as temperature, humidity, and air quality, and they also needed to measure and analyze three-phase power.
But there were challenges. Connecting everything to the cloud added complexity, especially since their field engineers needed to monitor MRI and CT machines that might need to move around in a hospital.
As their business grew, Bio Business faced an urgent need to obtain enough components to meet the expanding demand for their medical products. This was critical for them to expand production and satisfy the demands of their growing customer base.
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How Bio Business Leveraged Raspberry Pi Solutions
To keep up with growing demand, Bio Business decided to use the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 and RP2040 microcontrollers. They found it hard to get enough supplies of their usual microcontrollers and semiconductor RAM.
Their CPAP device, which helps people breathe better, uses the RP2040 to measure oxygen levels over time.
“This is the main portable monitor that controls power inputs, pressure sensors, and shows important information on an LCD screen for the patient.” They also offer a Raspberry Pi-based oxygen concentrator that efficiently uses oxygen from the air and lets users adjust the flow. Additionally, they provide a power quality monitor.
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Why Bio Business Uses Raspberry Pi?
Bio Business chose Raspberry Pi after carefully reviewing the specifications of the Compute Module 4 and RP2040.
They placed an initial purchase for 14,000 RP2040s. Even though this was a big investment for their 49-person company, they felt confident because they already had about 500 customers in Egypt and worked with international medicare clients.
This made it a smart choice. “We really value how available the RP2040 is,” says Elwakeel.
Having a good relationship with Raspberry Pi also helped them keep a steady supply of the CM4, especially when there were global shortages of chips.
The ease of using Raspberry Pi with their current products, plus the flexibility to pick different parts for their medical devices, made Raspberry Pi and Linux a great fit for Bio Business.
Elwakeel appreciates the strong support from the technical team at Raspberry Pi, which is very different from his experiences with other suppliers.
He calls their relationship “golden.” With reliable performance—where most issues come from software rather than hardware—Bio Business is excited to keep using the CM4 and RP2040 as they grow their product line and expand their reach.
"Bio Business". https://www.raspberrypi.com/success-stories/bio-business/. Raspberry Pi, Accessed 30 September 2024.
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Conclusion
To summarize, Bio Business demonstrates that good choices can improve healthcare. Working with Raspberry Pi, they upgraded their patient monitoring devices and enabled doctors and patients to connect in new ways.
Adding IoT features has given doctors important information to help keep patients safe and healthy. Plus, Raspberry Pi’s support has helped them overcome challenges, especially when other suppliers had problems.
