Microdevices in Medicine (original) (raw)

Advancements in MEMS technology for medical applications: microneedles and miniaturized sensors

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 2021

Since their early stages of development, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) have shown potential for breakthroughs in the fabrication of medical tools. The miniaturization of various devices using MEMS technology has enabled minimally invasive treatments and in situ measurements. In this paper, we introduce two advancements in MEMS applications in the medical field: (1) microneedle devices for brain activity evaluation, a transdermal drug delivery system, and biological fluid sampling; and (2) miniaturized MEMS sensors for monitoring the conditions inside blood vessels and respiratory organs. In addition, we provide a summary of MEMS sensors used in developing new drugs, detecting vital signs, and other applications.

Biomedical Microsystems for Minimally Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment

Proceedings of the IEEE, 2004

Great significant progress has been made in the development of biomedical microdevices in recent years, and these devices are now playing an important role in diagnosis and therapy. This paper presents a review of applications of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices for in vivo diagnosis and therapy, and endoscopicand catheter-based interventions. MEMS technology has enabled the further development of advanced biomedical microdevices for use in the human body by integration of sensors, actuators, and electronics into small medical devices for use in the body. In this paper, we discuss three categories of such devices: navigation systems, sensors and actuators for catheters and endoscopes, and other minimally invasive techniques. A brief introduction to principles, device structures, packaging, and related issues is presented.

A BioMEMS Review: MEMS Technology for Physiologically Integrated Devices

Proceedings of the IEEE, 2004

MEMS devices are manufactured using similar microfabrication techniques as those used to create integrated circuits. They often, however, have moving components that allow physical or analytical functions to be performed by the device. Although MEMS can be aseptically fabricated and hermetically sealed, biocompatibility of the component materials is a key issue for MEMS used in vivo. Interest in MEMS for biological applications (BioMEMS) is growing rapidly, with opportunities in areas such as biosensors, pacemakers, immunoisolation capsules, and drug delivery. The key to many of these applications lies in the leveraging of features unique to MEMS (for example, analyte sensitivity, electrical responsiveness, temporal control, and feature sizes similar to cells and organelles) for maximum impact. In this paper, we focus on how the biological integration of MEMS and other implantable devices can be improved through the application of microfabrication technology and concepts. Innovative approaches for improved physical and chemical integration of systems with the body are reviewed. An untapped potential for MEMS may lie in the area of nervous and endocrine system actuation, whereby the ability of MEMS to deliver potent drugs or hormones, combined with their precise temporal control, may provide new treatments for disorders of these systems.

Micro-systems in biomedical applications

Journal of …, 2000

In this paper we analyse the main characteristics of some micro-devices which have been developed recently for biomedical applications. Among the many biomedical micro-systems proposed in the literature or already on the market, we have selected a few which, in our opinion, represent particularly well the technical problems to be solved, the research topics to be addressed and the opportunities offered by micro-system technology (MST) in the biomedical field. For this review we have identified four important areas of application of micro-systems in medicine and biology: (1) diagnostics; (2) drug delivery;

Biomedical microdevices applications Vanderlei Souza Rocha

The purpose of this work is to present some current applications of some biomedical microdevices. Those have been improved very much in the last years. All of that came with the advent of the MicroElectro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). Some applications presented here are: the use of microdevices in the miniaturization in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the use of a microfluidic system to synthesize nanoparticles and the challenge of the retina implant.

A Technology Overview and Applications of Bio-MEMS

2014

Miniaturization of conventional technologies has long been understood to have many benefits, like: lower cost of production, lower form factor leading to portable applications, and lower power consumption. Micro/Nano fabrication has seen tremendous research and commercial activity in the past few decades buoyed by the silicon revolution. As an offset of the same fabrication platform, the Micro-electro-mechanicalsystems (MEMS) technology was conceived to fabricate complex mechanical structures on a micro level. MEMS technology has generated considerable research interest recently, and has even led to some commercially successful applications. Almost every smart phone is now equipped with a MEMS accelerometer-gyroscope system. MEMS technology is now being used for realizing devices having biomedical applications. Such devices can be placed under a subset of MEMS called the Bio-MEMS (Biological MEMS). In this paper, a brief introduction to the Bio-MEMS technology and the current state ...

Review of the potential of a wireless MEMS microsystem for biomedical applications

Purpose – Telemetry capsules have existed since the 1950s and were used to measure temperature, pH or pressure inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It was hoped that these capsules would replace invasive techniques in the diagnosis of function disorders in the GI tract. However, problems such as signal loss and uncertainty of the pills position limited their use in a clinical setting. In this paper, a review of the capabilities of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for the fabrication of a wireless pressure sensor microsystem is presented. Design/methodology/approach – The circuit requirements and methods of data transfer are examined. The available fabrication methods for MEMS sensors are also discussed and examples of wireless sensors are given. Finally, the drawbacks of using this technology are examined. Findings – MEMS for use in wireless monitoring of pressure in the GI tract have been investigated. It has been shown that capacitive pressure sensors are particularly suitable for this purpose. Sensors fabricated for wireless continuous monitoring of pressure have been reviewed. Great progress, especially using surface micromachining, has been made in recent years. However, despite these advances, some challenges remain. Originality/value – Provides a review of the capabilities of MEMS.