Towards Bio-impedance Based Labs: A Review

In this article, some of the main contributions to BI (Bio-Impedance) parameter-based systems for medical, biological and industrial fields, oriented to develop micro laboratory systems are summarized. These small systems are enabled by the development of new measurement techniques and systems (labs), based on the impedance as biomarker. The electrical properties of the life mater allow the straightforward, low cost and usually non-invasive measurement methods to define its status or value, with the possibility to know its time evolution. This work proposes a review of bio-impedance based methods being employed to develop new LoC (Lab-on-a-Chips) systems, and some open problems identified as main research challenges, such as, the accuracy limits of measurements techniques, the role of the microelectrode-biological impedance modeling in measurements and system portability specifications demanded for many applications.Spanish founded Project: TEC 2013-46242-C3-1-P: Integrated Microsystem for Cell Culture AssaysFEDE

Development of real-time cellular impedance analysis system

The cell impedance analysis technique is a label-free, non-invasive method, which simplifies sample preparation and allows applications requiring unmodified cell retrieval. However, traditional impedance measurement methods suffer from various problems (speed, bandwidth, accuracy) for extracting the cellular impedance information. This thesis proposes an improved system for extracting precise cellular impedance in real-time, with a wide bandwidth and satisfactory accuracy. The system hardware consists of five main parts: a microelectrode array (MEA), a stimulation circuit, a sensing circuit, a multi-function card and a computer. The development of system hardware is explored. Accordingly, a novel bioimpedance measurement method coined digital auto balancing bridge method, which is improved from the traditional analogue auto balancing bridge circuitry, is realized for real-time cellular impedance measurement. Two different digital bridge balancing algorithms are proposed and realized, which are based on least mean squares (LMS) algorithm and fast block LMS (FBLMS) algorithm for single- and multi-frequency measurements respectively. Details on their implementation in FPGA are discussed. The test results prove that the LMS-based algorithm is suitable for accelerating the measurement speed in single-frequency situation, whilst the FBLMS-based algorithm has advantages in stable convergence in multi-frequency applications. A novel algorithm, called the All Phase Fast Fourier Transform (APFFT), is applied for post-processing of bioimpedance measurement results. Compared with the classical FFT algorithm, the APFFT significantly reduces spectral leakage caused by truncation error. Compared to the traditional FFT and Digital Quadrature Demodulation (DQD) methods, the APFFT shows excellent performance for extracting accurate phase and amplitude in the frequency spectrum. Additionally, testing and evaluation of the realized system has been performed. The results show that our system achieved a satisfactory accuracy within a wide bandwidth, a fast measurement speed and a good repeatability. Furthermore, our system is compared with a commercial impedance analyzer (Agilent 4294A) in biological experiments. The results reveal that our system achieved a comparable accuracy to the commercial instrument in the biological experiments. Finally, conclusions are given and the future work is proposed

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT): The Establishment of a Dual Current Stimulation EIT System for Improved Image Quality

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a noninvasive imaging technique that reproduces images of cross-sections, based on the internal impedance distribution of an object. This Dissertation investigates and confirms the use of a dual current stimulation EIT (DCS EIT) system. The results of this investigation presented a size error of 2.82 % and a position error of 5.93 % in the reconstructed images, when compared to the actual size and position of the anomaly inside a test object. These results confirmed that the DCS EIT system produced images of superior quality (fewer image reconstruction errors) to those produced from reviewed single plane stimulating EIT systems, which confirmed the research hypothesis. This system incorporates two independent current stimulating patterns, which establishes a more even distribution of current in the test object, compared to single plane systems, and is more efficient than 2.5D EIT systems because the DCS EIT system only measures boundary voltages in the center plane, compared to 2.5D EIT systems that measure the boundary voltages in all electrode planes. The system uses 48 compound electrodes, divided into three electrode planes. Current is sourced and sunk perpendicularly in the center plane, to produce a high current density near the center of the test object. Sequentially, current is sourced through an electrode in the top electrode plane and sunk through an electrode in the bottom plane, directly below the source electrode, to produce a high current density near the boundary of the test object, in the center plane. During both injection cycles, boundary potentials are measured in the center plane. Following the measurement of a complete frame, a weighted average is computed from the single and cross plane measured data. The weighted measured voltages, injected currents and Finite Element Model of the object is used to reconstruct an image of the internal impedance distribution along a cross-section of the object. This method is applicable to the biomedical imaging and process monitoring fields

Bladder Volume Decoding from Afferent Neural Activity

RÉSUMÉ Lorsque les fonctions de stockage et de miction de la vessie échouent à la suite de traumatismes médullaires, ou en raison d'autres maladies neurologiques, de conditions de santé ou au vieillissement, des complications graves pour la santé du patient se produisent. Actuellement, il est possible de restaurer partiellement les fonctions de la vessie chez les patients réfractaires aux médicaments à l'aide des neurostimulateurs implantables. Pour améliorer l'efficacité et la sécurité de ces neuroprothèses, il faut un capteur de la vessie capable de détecter l’urine stockée afin de mettre en place un système en boucle fermée qui applique la stimulation électrique uniquement lorsque nécessaire. Le capteur peut également servir à aviser les patients ayant des sensations affaiblies pour les aviser en temps opportun le moment où la vessie doit être vidée ou quand un volume résiduel postmictionnel anormalement élevé reste après une miction incomplète. Dans cette thèse, on présente de nouvelles méthodes de mesure, ainsi qu’un processeur de signal numérique dédié pour décoder en temps réel le volume de la vessie à partir des enregistrements neuronaux afférents provenant des récepteurs naturels présents dans la paroi de la vessie. Nos principales contributions sont rapportées dans trois articles de journaux avec comité de lecture. On présente d'abord une revue exhaustive de la littérature comprenant des articles de journaux, des brevets et les livres les plus réputés portant sur l'anatomie, la physiologie et la physiopathologie du tractus urinaire inférieur ainsi que sur la mesure du volume ou la pression de la vessie. Cette étude nous a permis d'identifier les besoins qu'un capteur de la vessie doit satisfaire pour être utilisé dans des applications chroniques telles que celles proposées dans cette thèse. On présente aussi le résultat d’une analyse exhaustive des caractéristiques anatomiques et physiologiques de la vessie que nous avons identifiées d’avoir exercé une influence, ou même d’avoir empêché, la réalisation d'un tel capteur dans des études faites au cours des dernières années. Sur la base de cette étude et de l'évaluation systématique des méthodes de mesure pour la vessie, on a conclu que le principe de mesure le mieux adapté pour la surveillance chronique du volume de la vessie était la détection, la discrimination et le décodage de l'activité neuronale afférente découlant des récepteurs spécialisés du volume (mécanorécepteurs), au sujet desquels certains auteurs ont émis l'hypothèse de leur existence dans la muqueuse interne de la vessie. Ensuite, on présente la méthode de mesure qui permet d'estimer en temps réel le volume de la vessie à partir de l'activité afférente des mécanorécepteurs. Notre méthode a été validée avec les----------ABSTRACT Failure of the storage and voiding functions of the urinary bladder due to spinal cord injury (SCI), neural diseases, health conditions, or aging, causes serious complications in a patient's health. Currently, it is possible to partially restore bladder functions in drug-refractory patients using implantable neurostimulators. Improving the efficacy and safety of these neuroprostheses used for bladder functions restoration requires a bladder sensor (BS) capable of detecting urine volume in real-time to implement a closed-loop system that applies electrical stimulation only when required. The BS can also trigger an early warning to advise patients with impaired sensations when the bladder should be voided or when an abnormally high post-voiding residual volume remains after an incomplete voiding. In this thesis, we present new measurement methods and a dedicated digital signal processor for real-time decoding of the bladder volume through afferent neural signals arising from natural receptors present in the bladder wall. The main contributions of this thesis have been reported in three peer-reviewed journal papers. We first present a comprehensive literature review, including papers, patents and mainstay books of bladder anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. This review allowed us to identify the requirements (user needs) that a BS must meet for chronic applications, such as those proposed in this thesis. An exhaustive analysis of the particular anatomical and physiological characteristics of the bladder, which we realized had influenced or prevented the achievement of a BS for monitoring the bladder volume or pressure in past studies, are also presented. Based on this study and on a systematic assessment of the measurement methods published in past years, we determined the best measurement principle for chronic bladder volume monitoring: the detection, discrimination and decoding of the afferent neural activity stemming from specialized volume receptors (mechanoreceptors), on which some authors had hypothesized about its existence in the bladder inner mucosa. Next, we present methods that allows for a real-time estimation of bladder volume through the afferent activity of the bladder mechanoreceptors. Our method was validated with data acquired from anesthetized rats in acute experiments. It was possible to qualitatively estimate three states of bladder fullness in 100% of trials when the recorded afferent activity exhibited a Spearman’s correlation coefficient of 0.6 or better. Furthermore, we could quantitatively estimate the bladder volume, and also its pressure, using time-windows of properly chosen duration. The mea

Characterisation of concentrating solar optics by Light Field Method

Abstract: This dissertation develops ideas and techniques for the measurement of the light field produced by the concentrating optics that are used in solar thermal power systems. The research focussed on developing a framework and the principles for the implementation of a scalable technology that is suitable, in principle, for cost effective industrial implementation in the field. Investigation from first principles and technological surveys resulted in formulation of a number of model techniques, from which one was developed. A key component of the proposed model was evaluated using a novel reformulation and application of electrical impedance tomography (EIT). This was to implement an information transform effecting a highly non-linear compressive sensing mechanism, offsetting manufacturing and material complexity in the measurement of high solar flux levels. The technique allows sensing of a wide range of phenomena over arbitrary manifolds in three-dimensional space by utilizing passive transducers. An inverse reconstruction method particular to the structure of the device was proposed, implemented, and tested in a full simulation of intended operation. The parameter space of internal configurations of the method were the subject of a uniform, statistical search, with results also indicating geometrical properties of the transform used. A variety of design guides were developed to better optimize the implementation of the techniques in a range of applications.M.Ing. (Mechanical Engineering Science

Aerospace medicine and biology: A cumulative index to the 1986 issues (supplement 293)

This publication is a cumulative index to the abstracts contained in the Supplements 281 through 292 of Aerospace Medicine and Biology: A Continuing Bibliography. It includes seven indexes - subject, personal author, corporate source, foreign technology, contract number, report number, and accession number

1995 BRAC Commission

Navy - Air Systems Command - Data Call September 16, 1994. Box 175, L-107

IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits And Systems: Vol. 7, No. 4, Agustus 2013

1. Exploiting jump-resonance hysteresis in silicon auditory front-ends for extracting speaker discriminative formant trajectories / K. Aono, R. K. Shaga, S. Chakrabartty 2. A Bispectral approach to analyze nonlinear cochlear active mechanisms in transient evoked otoacoustic emissions / S. Marchesi, G. Tognola, A. Paglialonga 3. Making use of auditory models for better mimicking of normal hearing processes with cochlear implants: The SAM coding strategy / T. Harczos, A. Chillian, P. Husar 4. Design of wavelet-based ECG detector for implantable cardiac pacemakers / Y. -J. Min. H. -K. Kim, Y. -R. Kang, G. -S. Kim, J. Park, S. -W. Kim 5. An Ultra-linear piezo-floating-gate strain-gauge for self-powered measurement of quasi-static-strain / P. Sarkar, C. Huang, S. Chakrabartyy 6. FAST: A Framework for simulation and analysis of large-scale protein-silicon biosensor circuits / M. Gu, S. Chakrabartyy 7. Reconfigurable bioimpedance emulation system for electrical impedance tomography system validation / N. Li, H. Xu, Z. Zhou, J. Xin, Z. Sun, X. Xu 8. A Zero-voltage switching technique for minimizing the current-source power of implanted stimulators / U. Cilingiroglu, S. Ipek 9. A Switched-capacitor front-end for velocity-selective ENG recording / R. Rieger, J. Taylor 10. Real-time prediction of neuronal population spiking activity using FPGA / W. X. Y. Li, R. C. C. Cheung, R. H. M. Chan, D. Song, T. W. Berger 11. A Low-power configurable neural recording system for epileptic seizure detection / C. Qian, J. Shi, J. Parramon, E. Sanchez-Sinencio Etc