FCC Unveils New Spectrum for Implantable Neuromuscular Microstimulation Devices
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released new regulations on 27 January that opens up the existing Medical Device Radiocommunication (MedRadio) Service spectrum to allow medical implant devices employing neuromuscular microstimulation (MMN) techniques to use the spectrum.
The Regulation, Additional Spectrum for the Medical Device Radiocommunication Service, is "part of a larger effort to recognize and facilitate the significant advances in wireless medical technologies that are revolutionizing treatment for a wide variety of medical conditions," the agency said in the Federal Register (FR) posting.
"Consistent with our proposal, the Commission will allocate the 24 megahertz of spectrum in four segments of the 413-457 MHz band for MMN use on a secondary basis, i.e., 413-419 MHz, 426-432 MHz, 438-444 MHz, and 451-457 MHz."
"[T]he propagation characteristics of the 400 MHz band make it particularly well suited to host MMN devices, and the band is already used for other MedRadio implanted devices."
Four bands will be made available to MNNs, which will only be allowed to occupy one band of spectrum at any one time.