Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are used in professional emergency medical services just as they are at publicly accessible locations. Their value depends directly on their being available and ready for use in an emergency. The more widely such devices are dispersed, the harder it is to assess their condition without an on-site check.
CardiLink GmbH operates a platform for connected AEDs and designs it for both professional and public emergency use. To allow the devices to report their operating status across national borders as well, CardiLink works with Vodafone IoT. Vodafone IoT provides the cellular connectivity via embedded eSIMs and managed IoT connectivity, which currently allows the AED fleet to be connected and centrally monitored across around 50 countries.
The challenge: tracking the readiness of distributed devices across national borders
For CardiLink, device availability is the central requirement: an AED has to work at the decisive moment. This requirement arises from the conditions of use: many devices, distributed locations, different countries and cellular networks. As the number of connected devices grows, operations are increasingly shifting away from on-site checks towards remote monitoring.
This results in several connectivity requirements:
- Reliable connectivity across different cellular networks and countries so that every device remains reachable
- Central monitoring and management of every single, geographically dispersed device from one system
- high requirements for security, availability and compliance
- Integration of connectivity into CardiLink's existing AED platform rather than a separate standalone solution
- rapid international scalability to extend the solution to further markets
The key question was: how can the operating status of an internationally distributed AED fleet be captured continuously and remotely, across different networks and with reasonable administrative effort?
The solution: managed connectivity via embedded eSIM
CardiLink and Vodafone IoT connect the networked AEDs via centrally managed cellular connectivity. Every device contains an embedded SIM (eSIM) that is operated via Vodafone Managed IoT Connectivity. The connectivity is centrally provisioned and managed via the Vodafone IoT platform (GDSP). The connected AEDs continuously monitor their operating status; the status and diagnostic data are transmitted over the cellular connection.
The connectivity comprises:
- Access to Vodafone's international cellular network with coverage across multiple networks
- flexible transmission from NB-IoT to 4G, depending on the location
- central management of connectivity with interfaces (APIs), reporting and diagnostic functions
- carrier-grade security for data transmission
Vodafone IoT's interfaces integrate the connectivity into CardiLink's existing AED platform. Status and diagnostic data from the devices thus come together in the environment in which CardiLink already manages its AEDs. What mattered to CardiLink was being able to control connectivity internationally and across different networks from a single system, one reason for the collaboration with Vodafone IoT.
The result: a remotely monitored AED fleet as the basis for international growth
With managed connectivity from Vodafone IoT, CardiLink can view the connectivity, status and condition of its AEDs remotely across the fleet instead of having to check individual devices on site. This makes it possible to detect anomalies before they become critical.
Specifically, the solution supports:
- insight into connectivity, status and device condition across the AED fleet, in real time and remotely
- lower manual effort through central management and automation
- international scaling via the embedded eSIM and Vodafone's global network
- faster international expansion through rapid provisioning and flexible connectivity
The solution is in an initial rollout phase covering around 50 countries and is designed as a scalable foundation for connected emergency care.
Outlook: connecting further markets
CardiLink and Vodafone IoT are expanding their collaboration further internationally. The shared connectivity base is intended to support the connection of networked AEDs in further markets and is designed as a foundation for future expansions and OEM partnerships.
