原创 Electronics & IT in Healthcare - Part 2

Dear Readers,

I had shared some 30000 feet perspective on how medical electronics in general is aiding the transformation of our lives. True mobility, portability and ease are still elusive in this field.

I had touched upon the fact that critical diagnostic procedures are still invasive and needs the expertise of an eminent surgeon or a specialist. The reluctance on the side of people for such invasive procedures have hampered preventive healthcare. Best examples of such techniques are Coronary Angiogram and Colonoscopy. People need to be hospitalized for the procedure, have to be anesthetized and sometimes have to be kept under observation for a day. Moreover there is no specific diagnostic procedure available if you need to investigate any cancers in the small intestine. Electronics and Information Technologies have come to the rescue for such occasions. Angio & Colonoscopy have become non-invasive thanks to sophisticated image processing algorithms. A simple CT scan can give a 3D perspective of the large intestine or show the blocks in a coronary artery in real time. Sophisticated Capsules with embedded electronics and camera module are already available to investigate the complete GI Tract. This capsule has the capability to wirelessly transmit camera views to an external machine for storage and further analysis. These technologies have resulted in considerable cost reductions.

I mentioned about remote sensing of the body in the previous blog. Is it a possibility? Are such things being developed? The answer seems to be an YES! The Capsule I had mentioned in the previous paragraph is one such aid for remote sensing. Tiny MEMS based electronic modules are currently in research stage for circulation in the blood and possibly detect and cleanup any plaque buildup. A chip that has various sensors, embedded beneath the skin can continuously monitor and transmit vital parameters. A tiny electronic module embedded near or inside the heart, can monitor the electro physiology aspects of the heart, transmit the measurements to an external device and can take any corrective pacing under certain situations.

The trend that is emerging is to build such specialized sensors for various parts of the body, evolving a sort of a sensor network of electronics within the body. Imagine the power of such a network that will have the capability to take quick decisions using distributed computing and decision making systems.

This also means that the power sources for these tiny, implantable gadgets have to be innovative and consume very less power. There is no way the power sources of the various gadgets can be replaced frequently! This will be another innovation in the coming years with the advent of new materials and techniques.

Lets look at more in the next blog.

Have a great week ahead.

Padmanabhan SN