Ambulatory ecg project

Hi all,

I am a research student working on ambulatory ecg. In the course my research I came across this ADAS 1000 as being preferable for ecg.

I will like to know if this is just a component that will go on the PCB and start functioning like resistors etc or is it like a microcontroller that has to be programmed  and the program downloaded into it using a development board.

If it is like a microcontroller, which development board and other associated accessories are required.

I will also like to know the relevant write ups and sample codes that can help me as well as step by step process of achieving this.

Thanks

Tolu