Future of smart cardiovascular implants

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Western society. Recent technological advances have opened the opportunity of developing new and innovative smart stent devices that have advanced electrical properties that can improve diagnosis and even treatment of previously intractable conditions, such as central line access failure, atherosclerosis and reporting on vascular grafts for renal dialysis. Here we review the latest advances in the field of cardiovascular medical implants, providing a broad overview of the application of their use in the context of cardiovascular disease rather than an in-depth analysis of the current state of the art. We cover their powering, communication and the challenges faced in their fabrication. We focus specifically on those devices required to maintain vascular access such as ones used to treat arterial disease, a major source of heart attacks and strokes. We look forward to advances in these technologies in the future and their implementation to improve the human condition

Implantoitavat paineanturit

Tämä kandidaatintutkielma on kirjallisuustutkimus implantoitavista paineantureista. Tutkielmassa keskitytään implantoitavien paineantureiden perusrakenteeseen ja kahteen yleiseen sovellukseen: kallonsisäisen paineen ja kardiovaskulaarisen paineen mittaamiseen. Implantoitava paineanturi asetetaan osittain tai kokonaan kehon sisälle. Paineanturi rakentuu painetta mittaavasta elementistä, sekä joko johdoista tai langattomasta toteutuksesta, jolla mitatut painearvot saadaan kuljetettua monitorille, lääkäreille analysoitaviksi. Langattomassa toteutuksessa painearvot yleensä lähetetään monitorille joko radioaalloilla tai induktiivisen linkin avulla. Kallonsisäisen paineen mittaaminen on erityisen tärkeää vakavan päähän kohdistuneen vamman jälkeen. Implantoitavilla paineantureilla saadaan tarkempia ja jatkuvia mittaustuloksia, mitkä ovat tärkeitä ominaisuuksia, sillä lääkäreiden on pystyttävä reagoimaan nopeasti mikäli painearvot alkavat kohota. Kardiovaskulaarista painetta mittaavilla implantoivilla paineantureilla tarkastellaan esimerkiksi sydämen toimintaa sydänkammion tukilaitteen asennuksen jälkeen. Lopuksi tutkielma käsittelee biohajoavia implantoitavia paineantureita, jotka tulevat käyttöön tulevaisuudessa. Tällä hetkellä biohajoavat paineanturit ovat testattavana laboratorioissa ja eläinkokeissa. Monet testien tuloksista ovat lupaavia. Biohajoavat implantoitavat paineanturit tiputtavat tulehdusriskiä, sillä ne eivät tarvitse toista leikkausta kuten ei-hajoavat paineanturit, jotka tarvitsevat poistoleikkauksen

An Implantable Low Pressure, Low Drift, Dual BioPressure Sensor and In-Vivo Calibration Methods Thereof

The human body’s intracranial pressure (ICP) is a critical component in sustaining healthy blood flow to the brain while allowing adequate volume for brain tissue within the rigid structures of the cranium. Disruptions in the body’s autoregulation of intracranial pressure are often caused by hemorrhage, tumors, edema, or excess cerebral spinal fluid resulting in treatments that are estimated to globally cost up to approximately five billion dollars annually. A critical element in the contemporary management of acute head injury, intracranial hemorrhage, stroke, or other conditions resulting in intracranial hypertension, is the real-time monitoring of ICP. Currently, such mainstream clinical monitoring can only take place short-term within an acute care hospital. The monitoring is prone to measurement drift and is comprised of externally tethered pressure sensors that are temporarily implanted into the brain, thus carrying a significant risk of infection. To date, reliable, low drift, completely internalized, long-term ICP monitoring devices remain elusive. The successful development of such a device would not only be safer and more reliable in the short-term but would expand the use of ICP monitoring for the management of chronic intracranial hypertension and enable further clinical research into these disorders. The research herein reviews the current challenges of existing ICP monitoring systems, develops a new novel sensing technology, and evaluates the same for potentially facilitating long-term implantable ICP sensing. Based upon the findings of this research, this dissertation proposes and evaluates a dual matched-die piezo-resistive strain sensing device, with a novel in-vivo calibration system and method thereof, for application to long-term implantable ICP sensing

Advanced Applications of Rapid Prototyping Technology in Modern Engineering

Rapid prototyping (RP) technology has been widely known and appreciated due to its flexible and customized manufacturing capabilities. The widely studied RP techniques include stereolithography apparatus (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), three-dimensional printing (3DP), fused deposition modeling (FDM), 3D plotting, solid ground curing (SGC), multiphase jet solidification (MJS), laminated object manufacturing (LOM). Different techniques are associated with different materials and/or processing principles and thus are devoted to specific applications. RP technology has no longer been only for prototype building rather has been extended for real industrial manufacturing solutions. Today, the RP technology has contributed to almost all engineering areas that include mechanical, materials, industrial, aerospace, electrical and most recently biomedical engineering. This book aims to present the advanced development of RP technologies in various engineering areas as the solutions to the real world engineering problems

Self-folding 3D micro antennas for implantable medical devices

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia Biomédica.Recent advances in device miniaturization have been enabling smart and small implantable medical devices. These are often powered by bulky batteries whose dimensions represent one of the major bottlenecks on further device miniaturization. However, alternative powering methods, such as electromagnetic waves, do not rely on stored energy and are capable of providing high energy densities per unit of area, thus increasing the potential for device miniaturization. Hence, we envision an implanted medical device with an integrated miniaturized antenna, capable of receiving a radiofrequency signal from an exterior source, and converting it to a DC signal, thus enabling remote powering. This thesis addresses the analysis, design, fabrication and characterization of novel 3D micro antennas that can be integrated on 500 × 500 × 500 μm3 cubic devices, and used for wireless power transfer purposes. The analysis is built upon the theory of electrically small antennas in lossy media, and the antenna design takes into consideration miniaturization techniques which are compatible with the antenna fabrication process. For the antenna fabrication, a methodology that combines conventional planar photolithography techniques and self-folding was used. While photolithography allows the easy patterning of virtually every desired planar antenna configuration with reproducible feature precision, and the flexibility to easily and precisely change the antenna geometry and size, self-folding allows assembly of the fabricated planar patterns into a 3D structure in a highly parallel and scalable manner. After fabrication, we characterized the fabricated antennas by measuring their S-parameters and radiation patterns, demonstrating their efficacy at 2 GHz when immersed in dispersive media such as water. This step required the development and test of multiple characterization setups based on connectors, RF probes and transmission lines and the use of an anechoic chamber. Moreover, we successfully show that the antennas can wireless transfer energy to power an LED, highlighting a proof of concept for practical applications. Our findings suggest that self-folding micro antennas could provide a viable solution for powering tiny micro devices.Os recentes avanços das tecnologias de miniaturização têm permitido o desenvolvimento de dispositivos médicos implantáveis inteligentes e mais pequenos. Estes são muitas vezes alimentados por baterias volumosas cujas dimensões limitam o nível de miniaturização alcançável por um micro dispositivo. No entanto, existem formas alternativas de alimentar estes dispositivos que não dependem de energia armazenada, tais como ondas eletromagnéticas, que são capazes de providenciar uma elevada densidade de energia por unidade de área, aumentando assim o potencial de miniaturização dos dispositivos. Desta forma, visionamos um dispositivo médico implantado, com uma antena miniaturizada e integrada, capaz de receber um sinal de rádio frequência a partir de uma fonte externa, e convertê-lo num sinal DC, permitindo assim a alimentação remota do aparelho. Esta tese apresenta a análise, desenho, fabrico e caracterização de micro antenas 3D, passíveis de serem integradas em micro dispositivos cúbicos (500 × 500 × 500 μm3), e utilizadas para fins de transferência de energia sem fios. A análise assenta na teoria das antenas eletricamente pequenas em meios com perdas, e o design da antena considera técnicas de miniaturização de antenas. Para o fabrico da antena foi utilizada uma metodologia que combina técnicas de fotolitografia planar e auto-dodragem (self-folding). Enquanto a fotolitografia permite a padronização de virtualmente todos os tipos de configurações planares de forma precisa, reprodutível, e com a flexibilidade para se mudar rapidamente a geometria e o tamanho da antena, o self-folding permite a assemblagem dos painéis planares fabricados numa estrutura 3D. Depois do fabrico, as antenas foram caracterizadas medindo os seus parâmetros S e diagramas de radiação, demonstrando a sua eficácia a 2 GHz quando imersas num meio dispersivo, tal como água. Esta etapa exigiu o desenvolvimento e teste de várias setups de caracterização com base em conectores, sondas de RF e linhas de transmissão, e ainda o uso de uma câmara anecóica. Além disso, mostramos com sucesso que as micro antenas podem receber e transferir o energia para um LED acendendo-o, destacando assim esta prova de conceito para aplicações práticas. Os nossos resultados sugerem que estas micro antenas auto-dobráveis podem fornecer uma solução viável para alimentar micro dispositivos implantáveis muito pequenos.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) bolsa SFRH/BD/63737/2009

Piezoelectric energy harvesting from low frequency and random excitation using frequency up-conversion

The field of energy harvesting comprises all methods to produce energy locally and from surrounding sources, e.g. solar illumination, thermal gradients, vibration, radio frequency, etc. The focus of this thesis is on inertial power generation from host motion, in particular for low frequency and random excitation sources such as the human body. Under such excitation, the kinetic energy available to be converted into electrical energy is small and conversion efficiency is of utmost importance. Broadband harvesting based on frequency tuning or on non-linear vibrations is a possible strategy to overcome this challenge. The technique of frequency up-conversion, where the low frequency excitation is converted to a higher frequency that is optimal for the operation of the transducer is especially promising. Regardless of the source excitation, energy is converted more efficiently. After a general introduction to the research area, two different prototypes based on this latter principle and using piezoelectric bending beams as transducers are presented, one linear design and one rotational. Especially for human motion, the advantages of rotational designs are discussed. Furthermore, magnetic coupling is used to prevent impact on the brittle piezoceramic material when actuating. A mathematical model, combining the magnetic interaction forces and the constitutive mechanical and electrical equations for the piezoelectric bending beam is introduced and the results are provided. Theoretical findings are supported by experimental measurements and the calculation model is validated. The outcome is the successful demonstration of a rotational energy harvester, tested on a custom made shaking set-up and in the real world when worn on the upper arm during running.Open Acces

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a rapidly evolving field as new technologies are implemented for example for the development of wireless sensors, quality data transmission. Using the Internet applications such as counseling, clinical consultation support and home care monitoring and management are more and more realized, which improves access to high level medical care in underserved areas. The 23 chapters of this book present manifold examples of telemedicine treating both theoretical and practical foundations and application scenarios