An Implantable Telemetric Unit for Biomedical Research

ITUBR - INCO-DC95-917

Keywords: microelectronics, biomedical engineering, sensors

Start Date: 1 February 96 / Duration: 24 months

Objectivies and Approach

There exists a wide range of biomedical analyses that require the measure of physiological parameters; these parameters can be obtained by using invasive or aggressive methods (e.g., extraction of blood) or by tedious and frequent aquisitions, or they are not even reachable from the exterior of the body (e.g. hemodynamic parameters). In such cases, specific sensors are implanted in the organ/system whose parameters are to be extracted. Then the values measured by these sensors are sent to some externally located data acquisition unit, either through percutaneous connectors or by using wireless transmission methods. Wireless transmissions require more sophisticated devices but offer major advantages.

The aim of this project is to develop the application independent parts of a physiologic parameters acquisition system and to demonstrate that they can easily be customised to different applications. This will be achieved by developing the conditioning circuitry for two different analysis frames on which some of the partners are currently working: the control of artificial prosthesis via electromyographic signals, and the evaluation of oxygen carrier hemosubstitutes through the repetitive measure of the cardiac output. In both cases, the conditioning circuitry (which will be different for each application) and the internal part of the telemetric unit will be integrated in the same chip which will be packaged together with the coil and eventual hybrid capacitors in a biocompatible, small size capsule.