This application note explains how to build a basic blood pressure monitor using Freescale Kinetis MK53N512 and Flexis MM MCUs.
The document provides a technical guide for biomedical engineers and developers who want to implement a blood pressure monitor using Freescale medical‑oriented microcontrollers. It covers the physiological background, the oscillometric measurement principle, hardware implementation, and software architecture.
Key sections include blood‑pressure fundamentals, MCU peripheral requirements, the MED‑BPM analog front‑end board, connector pin‑outs, pressure‑sensor specifications, signal‑filtering circuitry, the software state‑machine model, and a running demo description. Appendices list timer and communication protocol details.
| ADC resolution | 16‑bit |
|---|---|
| DAC resolution | 12‑bit |
| Programmable gain Op‑Amps | 2 × |
| Transimpedance amplifiers (TRIAMPS) | 2 × |
| Reference voltage generator | V ref generator |
| DSP instructions | Set of DSP instructions including MAC (Only K5X Family) |
| Pressure sensor range | 1–50 kPa |
| Pressure sensor supply voltage | 2.7–3.3 VDC |
| Pressure sensor accuracy | ±2.5 % VFSS |
| Pressure sensor sensitivity | 54 mV/kPa |
The monitor operates based on the oscillometric method, which measures cuff pressure oscillations during inflation and deflation.
Any of the Freescale medical‑oriented MCUs such as Kinetis MK53N512, MC9S08MM128, or MCF51MM256 can be used.
The design requires a 16‑bit ADC, 12‑bit DAC, two programmable‑gain Op‑Amps, two TRIAMPS, and a Vref generator.
This manual explains 1 error code. Open a code for its meaning, causes and what to do: