Medical Device Link . Selecting Proper Audio Components for Medical Electronics

Making the right choice between transducers and buzzers is key to achieving just the right tone in medical devices. Avariety of sounds can be heard in a hospital, from verbal communication among doctors, nurses, and patients, to tears of friends and families of those who are sick. Other sounds within hospital walls can be as important as a doctor's orders: namely, the sounds made by the medical devices and instruments used to monitor the health and safety of patients. A surface-mount audio transducer on a printed circuit-board. Audio components are designed into medical equipment to verify that a patient is stable or to alert staff that care must be administered. Audio components can also emit sound to monitor air cleanliness, act as an alarm in case of emergency, or signify completed treatment. Because of the diverse uses of audio components in the medical industry, it is important to understand the makeup of the audio products and how certain frequencies (i.e, sounds) signify specific conditions. Sound from medical instruments is typically emitted from either a transducer or a buzzer. Transducers and buzzers each offer distinct advantages in certain medical instruments, including sterilizers and infusion pumps, and equipment such as air monitors. Engineers select the type of transducer or buzzer based on