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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2022) | Viewed by 27697

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Keat Ghee Ong

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Guest Editor

Department of Bioengineering, Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
Interests: implantable sensors; wireless sensors; regenerative medicine; biomedical instrumentation; magnetoelastic materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sensors is inviting researchers to highlight the latest advancement in medical sensors by reporting on the development and implementation of these technologies for the study, treatment, and prevention of various diseases and injuries. This issue is particularly looking for recent technological innovations, including, but not limited to, new developments and recent improvements in designs, electronics, data processing, and materials for medical sensors. In addition, solutions to the challenges faced by medical sensors and their use for disease diagnosis and treatment are also of great interest. Below is a list of the focus areas for this issue.

Medial sensor design and fabrication
- Innovative sensing technologies for medical applications
- New or improved fabrication techniques for medical sensors
- New technologies for enhancing the performance of medical sensors
- Development/improvement in medical devices for disease diagnosis
- New sensors for biomarker detection
- New designs or developments of implantable sensors
- Power management such as energy harvesting, energy storage, wireless power and energy conservation
- Innovations in point-of-care medical sensors
Applications
- Implementations of medical sensors for treating, monitoring, or preventing of diseases and/or injuries
- Reports and solutions for challenges such as biocompatibility issue, sensor fouling and drift, and other technical limitations of current medical sensors
- Applications of medical sensors as research tools

In addition to the priority areas listed above, Sensors will also consider other findings and advancements related to medical sensors. However, it is advisable to communicate with the Guest Editors to determine their alignment to this issue. Sensors will also accept critical reviews in the field or subfield of medical sensors, but prior coordination with the Guest Editors is recommended.

Prof. Dr. Keat Ghee Ong
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Medical sensors
Implantable sensors
Biosensors
Point-of-care technologies
Sensor materials
Biocompatibility
Medical devices
Biomarkers
Sensor data analysis and processing
Medical diagnosis
Regenerative medicine

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 6277 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Specifying Inputs for the Computational Structure of a Surgical System via Optical Method and DLT Algorithm Based on In Vitro Experiments on Cardiovascular Tissue in Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery

by Grzegorz Ilewicz and Edyta Ładyżyńska-Kozdraś

Sensors 2022, 22(6), 2335; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22062335 - 17 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2639

Abstract

With the application of four optical CMOS sensors, it was possible to capture the trajectory of an endoscopic tool during an in vitro surgical experiment on a cardiovascular preparation. This was due to the possibility of obtaining a path when a reflective marker was attached. In the work, APAS (Ariel Performance Analysis System) software and DLT (direct linear transformation) algorithm were used. This made it possible to acquire kinematic inputs to the computational model of dynamics, which enabled, regardless of the type of surgical robot structure, derivation of the analogous motion of an endoscopic effector due to the mathematical transformation of the trajectory to joints coordinates. Experiments were carried out with the participation of a practiced cardiac surgeon employing classic endoscopic instruments and robot surgical systems. The results indicated by the experiment showed that the inverse task of kinematics of position for the surgical robot with RCM (remote center of motion) structure was solved. The achieved results from the experiment were used as inputs for deriving a numerical dynamics model of surgical robot during transient states that was obtained by applying the finite element method and by driving dynamics moments acquired through the block diagrams method using a steering system with DC (direct current) motor and PID (proportional–integral–derivative) controller. The results section illustrates the course of kinematic values of endoscopic tools which were employed to apply numerical models as inputs, the course of the driving torque of the model of the surgical robot that enabled the selection of the drive system and the strength values, stresses and displacements according to von Mises hypothesis in its structure during the analysis of transient states that made it possible to establish the strength safety of the surgical robot. For the conducted experiments, the accuracy was ±2 [mm]. In the paper, the employment of optical CMOS sensors in surgical robotics and endoscopy is discussed. The paper concludes that the usage of optical sensors for determining inputs for numerical models of dynamics of surgical robots provides the basis for setting the course of physical quantities that appear in their real object structure, in manners close to reality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Sensors)

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16 pages, 10968 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation of Vibration Analysis on Implant Stability for a Novel Implant Design

by Shouxun Lu, Benjamin Steven Vien, Matthias Russ, Mark Fitzgerald and Wing Kong Chiu

Sensors 2022, 22(4), 1685; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22041685 - 21 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2447

Abstract

Osseointegrated prostheses are widely used following transfemoral amputation. However, this technique requires sufficient implant stability before and during the rehabilitation period to mitigate the risk of implant breakage and loosening. Hence, reliable assessment methods for the osseointegration process are essential to ensure initial and long–term implant stability. This paper researches the feasibility of a vibration analysis technique for the osseointegration (OI) process by investigating the change in the dynamic response of the residual femur with a novel implant design during a simulated OI process. The paper also proposes a concept of an energy index (the E–index), which is formulated based on the normalized magnitude. To illustrate the potential of the E–index, this paper reports on changes in the vibrational behaviors of a 133 mm long amputated artificial femur model and implant system, with epoxy adhesives applied at the interface to simulate the OI process. The results show a significant variation in the magnitude of the colormap against curing time. The study also shows that the E–index was sensitive to the interface stiffness change, especially during the early curing process. These findings highlight the feasibility of using the vibration analysis technique and the E–index to quantitatively monitor the osseointegration process for future improvement on the efficiency of human health monitoring and patient rehabilitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Sensors)

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20 pages, 8861 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optical Fibre Sensor for Capillary Refill Time and Contact Pressure Measurements under the Foot

by Hattan K. Ballaji, Ricardo Correia, Chong Liu, Serhiy Korposh, Barrie R. Hayes-Gill, Alison Musgrove and Stephen P. Morgan

Sensors 2021, 21(18), 6072; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21186072 - 10 Sep 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2989

Abstract

Capillary refill time (CRT) refers to the time taken for body tissue to regain its colour after an applied blanching pressure is released. Usually, pressure is manually applied and not measured. Upon release of pressure, simple mental counting is typically used to estimate how long it takes for the skin to regain its colour. However, this method is subjective and can provide inaccurate readings due to human error. CRT is often used to assess shock and hydration but also has the potential to assess peripheral arterial disease which can result in tissue breakdown, foot ulcers and ultimately amputation, especially in people with diabetes. The aim of this study was to design an optical fibre sensor to simultaneously detect blood volume changes and the contact pressure applied to the foot. The CRT probe combines two sensors: a plastic optical fibre (POF) based on photoplethysmography (PPG) to measure blood volume changes and a fibre Bragg grating to measure skin contact pressure. The results from 10 healthy volunteers demonstrate that the blanching pressure on the subject’s first metatarsal head of the foot was 100.8 ± 4.8 kPa (mean and standard deviation), the average CRT was 1.37 ± 0.46 s and the time to achieve a stable blood volume was 4.77 ± 1.57 s. For individual volunteers, the fastest CRT measured was 0.82 ± 0.11 and the slowest 1.94 ± 0.49 s. The combined sensor and curve fitting process has the potential to provide increased reliability and accuracy for CRT measurement of the foot in diabetic foot ulcer clinics and in the community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Sensors)

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15 pages, 3772 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Noninvasive Measurement of Time-Varying Arterial Wall Elastance Using a Single-Frequency Vibration Approach

by Jia-Jung Wang, Shing-Hong Liu, Wei-Kung Tseng and Wenxi Chen

Sensors 2020, 20(22), 6463; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20226463 - 12 Nov 2020

Viewed by 1993

Abstract

The arterial wall elastance is an important indicator of arterial stiffness and a kind of manifestation associated with vessel-related disease. The time-varying arterial wall elastances can be measured using a multiple-frequency vibration approach according to the Voigt and Maxwell model. However, such a method needs extensive calculation time and its operating steps are very complex. Thus, the aim of this study is to propose a simple and easy method for assessing the time-varying arterial wall elastances with the single-frequency vibration approach. This method was developed according to the simplified Voigt and Maxwell model. Thus, the arterial wall elastance measured using this method was compared with the elastance measured using the multiple-frequency vibration approach. In the single-frequency vibration approach, a moving probe of a vibrator was induced with a radial displacement of 0.15 mm and a 40 Hz frequency. The tip of the probe directly contacted the wall of a superficial radial artery, resulting in the arterial wall moving 0.15 mm radially. A force sensor attached to the probe was used to detect the reactive force exerted by the radial arterial wall. According to Voigt and Maxwell model, the wall elastance (E_single) was calculated from the ratio of the measured reactive force to the peak deflection of the displacement. The wall elastances (E_multiple) measured by the multiple-frequency vibration approach were used as the reference to validate the performance of the single-frequency approach. Twenty-eight healthy subjects were recruited in the study. Individual wall elastances of the radial artery were determined with the multiple-frequency and the single-frequency approaches at room temperature (25 °C), after 5 min of cold stress (4 °C), and after 5 min of hot stress (42 °C). We found that the time-varying E_single curves were very close to the time-varying E_multiple curves. Meanwhile, there was a regression line (E_single = 0.019 + 0.91 E_multiple, standard error of the estimate (SEE) = 0.0295, p < 0.0001) with a high correlation coefficient (0.995) between E_single and E_multiple. Furthermore, from the Bland–Altman plot, good precision and agreement between the two approaches were demonstrated. In summary, the proposed approach with a single-frequency vibrator and a force sensor showed its feasibility for measuring time-varying wall elastances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Sensors)

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13 pages, 2685 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization and Monitoring of Titanium Bone Implants with Impedance Spectroscopy

by Alberto Olmo, Miguel Hernández, Ernesto Chicardi and Yadir Torres

Sensors 2020, 20(16), 4358; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20164358 - 5 Aug 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2642

Abstract

Porous titanium is a metallic biomaterial with good properties for the clinical repair of cortical bone tissue, although the presence of pores can compromise its mechanical behavior and clinical use. It is therefore necessary to characterize the implant pore size and distribution in a suitable way. In this work, we explore the new use of electrical impedance spectroscopy for the characterization and monitoring of titanium bone implants. Electrical impedance spectroscopy has been used as a non-invasive route to characterize the volumetric porosity percentage (30%, 40%, 50% and 60%) and the range of pore size (100–200 and 355–500 mm) of porous titanium samples obtained with the space-holder technique. Impedance spectroscopy is proved to be an appropriate technique to characterize the level of porosity of the titanium samples and pore size, in an affordable and non-invasive way. The technique could also be used in smart implants to detect changes in the service life of the material, such as the appearance of fractures, the adhesion of osteoblasts and bacteria, or the formation of bone tissue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Sensors)

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18 pages, 6093 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anomaly Detection Using Electric Impedance Tomography Based on Real and Imaginary Images

by Imam Sapuan, Moh Yasin, Khusnul Ain and Retna Apsari

Sensors 2020, 20(7), 1907; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20071907 - 30 Mar 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4122

Abstract

This research offers a method for separating the components of tissue impedance, namely resistance and capacitive reactance. Two objects that have similar impedance or low contrast can be improved through separating the real and imaginary images. This method requires an Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) device. EIT can obtain potential data and the phase angle between the current and the potential measured. In the future, the device is very suitable for imaging organs in the thorax and abdomen that have the same impedance but different resistance and capacitive reactance. This device consists of programmable generators, Voltage Controlled Current Source (VCCS), mulptiplexer-demultiplexer potential meters, and phase meters. Data collecting was done by employing neighboring, while reconstruction was used the linear back-projection method from two different data frequencies, namely 10 kHz and 100 kHz. Phantom used in this experiment consists of distillated water and a carrot as an anomaly. Potential and phase data from the device is reconstructed to produce impedance, real, and imaginary images. Image analysis is performed by comparing the three images to the phantom. The experimental results show that the device is reliable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Sensors)

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Review

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19 pages, 1470 KiB

Open AccessReview

Wireless Technologies for Implantable Devices

by Bradley D. Nelson, Salil Sidharthan Karipott, Yvonne Wang and Keat Ghee Ong

Sensors 2020, 20(16), 4604; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20164604 - 16 Aug 2020

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 9833

Abstract

Wireless technologies are incorporated in implantable devices since at least the 1950s. With remote data collection and control of implantable devices, these wireless technologies help researchers and clinicians to better understand diseases and to improve medical treatments. Today, wireless technologies are still more commonly used for research, with limited applications in a number of clinical implantable devices. Recent development and standardization of wireless technologies present a good opportunity for their wider use in other types of implantable devices, which will significantly improve the outcomes of many diseases or injuries. This review briefly describes some common wireless technologies and modern advancements, as well as their strengths and suitability for use in implantable medical devices. The applications of these wireless technologies in treatments of orthopedic and cardiovascular injuries and disorders are described. This review then concludes with a discussion on the technical challenges and potential solutions of implementing wireless technologies in implantable devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Sensors)

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