Found this from Boing Boing this morning.
A new article on Open Software for implantable devices.

"Killed by Code: Software Transparency in Implantable Medical Devices"

http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2010/transparent-medical-devices.html

(Full link posted. I don't trust bit.ly or other shortened links.)

My thoughts are that all implantable device software needs open scruitiny.


Just curious, are any of you on this board software programmers?

I will be recieving a latitude device for remote monitoring of my device, anybody have feedback on this?

 

 

You might want to do a search on this site and google about medical device hackers, perhaps it'll change your mind.

I spent many years in computers, medical devices, and robotics and what they suggest in this article scares the living crap out of me.

 

I have been involved in embedded system programming since the mid 80's and have never found open source software to be any more vulnerable to hacking than proprietary code. In fact it is less so because any attack is more visible to more people it the code is available. Even more important it makes keeps those with a monetary interest from deciding what problems to withhold from public view.

Current devices are not that well protected. As an example all I had to do is to wrap a coil of wire around the "magnet" of my phone monitor and hook it to an oscilloscope to observe the entire conversation during a checkup. I never attempted to affect the pacer (for obvious reasons).

frank

 

You really are a mad scientist at heart. Always figured that.

As for open apps for pacemakers... Great idea but it would also mean that the hardware would have to be standardized more than it is and don't think you will see that soon.

I figure I have 2-3 generations of pacemakers to go before I stop getting them (If I can stop having SUV's running me over) and fully expect to see some major changes between now and then. Size of course will be the biggest changes, but programming, interrogation and ability to set it remotely are all just around the corner. Hell, I fully expect to see these things being able to communicate via 802.11 wireless protocol by the time my first replacement is necessary.

 

It will also have a GPS built in so they can find us if anything looks strange. I can just see them trying to find me on some back country Jeep road.

What would be great to see is having the manuals for all makes posted on line. As I understand it Medronic is the only one that does it. I just lucked into it to have my first pacer be a Medtronic. I made very sure that my replacement would be the same.

frank

 

My device is wireless it is the Boston scientific device Cognis.
A large magnetic field on a loop, initiates comunication to a laptop type device.
The loop is then removed and the laptop has an antenna much like my wi fi router.
When I am connected I get dizzy right away.
The Guy from Boston Scientific has shown me the parameters and can adjust them.
He has done this 2 times due to the phrenic nerve issue.

Cabg patch,
I have not seen any evidence that this line of comunication is encrypted and it could possibly be triggered by magnetic fields accidently or by other means not intended.
If the device was open sourced perhaps it would have some encryption, and password/ response check.
Although I would probably not be able to tell a diferent hospital the password, so it would have to be some kind of password on my card or some such place , a tattoo perhaps?
I mean ram is really cheap. And they most likely just have some processor to keep parameters in line.

I agree that a GPS would be fantastic ! I mean after all I am now dependent upon mainstream medicine and living off the grid is no longer an option :)

They might as well track me and gather data etc. to help in designing better devices.