This presentation outlines some of the most exciting medical MEMS and sensors devices that were introduced to the marketplace in the past few years. Some of the devices are already in volume production, and some are still being commercialized.
25 Most Interesting Medical MEMS and Sensors Projects
1.
2. Tiny wireless chip and
miniaturized glucose sensor
embedded between two
layers of soft contact lens
material
Accurate glucose monitoring
for diabetics using bodily
fluids, i.e. tears
Prototypes can generate one
reading per second
Experimenting with LEDs to
serve as early warning for the
wearer
Smart Contact Lens GoogleX
2Source: Google X
3. NoninvasiveBloodMonitor UCSD
Digital tattoo monitors blood below
the skin
Tattoos are needle-less, sensor-laden
transdermal patch and are painless
for the user
Tiny sensors “ink” can read blood
levels of sodium, glucose, kidney
function, and electrolyte balance
from a smartphone
Prototypes contain probes on the
wireless, battery-powered chip to
continually test up to a hundred
different samples Transdermal patch or
“digital tattoo”
Source: 9TO5MAC 3
4. Wearable electronic head-impact
monitoring patch
Patch contains MEMS motion sensors,
microcontroller, low-power radio
transmitter, and power management
circuitry
A cloud-based system combines
athlete concussion history, pre-season
neurocognitive function, balance, and
coordinate-performance data to
create a baseline for comparison after
a suspected injury event
ConcussionSensor STMicro&X2Biosystems
Source: ST Microelectronics 4
5. Electronic pill to treat
gastrointestinal cancer
An ingestible pill is
swallowed by the patient,
finds its way to the tumor,
dispenses the drugs and
passes harmlessly from
the body
Smart pill contains
reservoir for drug supply,
fluid pump for drug
delivery, pH sensor (for
navigation), thermometer,
microprocessor and radio
for communication
Source: Popular Science 5
IngestibleDrugDeliverySystem Phillips
6. Proteus Digital Health is the first
company to receive FDA clearance
for an ingestible biomedical sensor
that monitors medication adherence
Embedded into a pill, the sensor is
activated by stomach fluid, then
transmits a signal through the body
to a skin patch
Indicates whether a patient has
ingested medication or not
Source: Gizmag
IngestibleBiomedicalSensor Proteus
6
7. Micropump devices based on skin
contact actuation for drug delivery
Actuation mechanism only requires
body heat, no other external power
Induced actuation can result to a
gradient of 100 Pa/oC, sufficient to
drive liquid drug through microneedle
arrays
Prototypes exhibit low fabrication
costs, employment of biocompatible
materials and battery-less operation
Suitable for single- or multiple-use
transdermal drug dispensers
MicroneedleDrugDeliverySystem Purdue
Source: Purdue University 7
8. Laser-driven, handheld spectrometer
for analyzing food
Scanned information is sent to a
cloud-based application that examines
the results
Data is accumulated from many users
to develop warning algorithms for the
allergic, vegetarians and other
selective diets
Can measure:
Chemicals
Gluten
Dyes
Allergens
Neurotoxins
Molds
Bacteria
DietarySpectrometerSensor TellSpec
Source: Financial Post 8
9. WearableUVExposureSensor Sunfriend
Wristband for monitoring UV exposure
Allows user to maximize vitamin D
production while reducing the risk of
sun over-exposure and skin cancer
LED indicators light up as UV exposure
accumulates and flash once the safe
limit has been reached
UV Sensor
Source: Gizmag 9
10. IntraocularPressureSensor Sensimed &ST
STMicroelectronics teamed up with
Switzerland’s SensimedAG to develop
a smart contact lens calledTriggerfish
Contact lens can measure, monitor,
and control intra-ocular pressure levels
for patients and catch early cases of
glaucoma
The sensor itself, a MEMS strain gage
pressure sensor, is mounted on a
flexible substrate
MEMS strain gage
Source: Electronic Design 10
11. MEMS enabled implantable
technology for hearing restoration
Eliminates electronics outside the ear
associated with reliability issues and
social stigma
Accelerometer-based microphone
successfully tested in cadaver ear
canals
Prototype measures 2.5 x 6.2mm and
weighs 25mg
MEMSMicrophone University of Utah
Wire bonds
Microcontroller
MEMS microphone
Source: IEEE Spectrum 11
12. Micro-mirrors enabling handheld
ophthalmic swept source OCT model
for retinal 3D imaging
Replaces bulky galvanometer scanners
in a handheld OCT probe for primary
care physicians
Ultrahigh-speed two-axis optical beam
steering by use of the compact,
gimbal-less MEMS mirrors
MEMS actuator with a 2.4 mm bonded
mirror and an angular reach of +6°
Low power consumption of <100mW
including the MEMS actuator driver
Retinal3DImaging Mirrorcle
MEMS mirror on PCB substrate
MEMS mirror in
leaded IC package
Source: OCT News 12
13. Cellphone-based rapid-diagnostic-test
(RDT) reader platform
Lateral flow immuno-chromatographic
assays and similar tests to sense the
presence of a target analyte in a sample
Device connects to the camera on a cell
phone and weighs only 65 grams
Various types of RDTs can be inserted
to be imaged in reflection or
transmission modes under light
emitting diode (LED) based
illumination
Source: Royal Society of Chemistry
CellPhoneDiagnosticsPlatform UCLA
13
14. Organ-on-a-Chip JohnsHopkinsUniversity
Silicon substrate for living human
cells in a controlled environment
Emulate how cells function inside a
living human body
Replace controversial and costly
animal testing
Lab-on-a-chip: a cost effective end to animal testing
Source: Sound Color Vibration 14
15. CerebralPressureSensor Fraunhofer
Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical
Engineering has developed a sensor
to monitor cerebral pressure that can
lead to dementia
Pressure changes in the brain can be
measured and transmitted a reading
device outside the patient’s body
Operating at very low power, the
sensor module is powered wirelessly
by the reading device
Pressure diaphragm
Source: Gizmag 15
16. FDA approved, implantable micro
device for monitoring and treating
aneurisms, a leading cause of heart
failure
RF-addressed wireless pressure
sensor are powered by inductive
coupling and do not need batteries
MEMS pressure sensor and wireless
antenna are inserted near the heart
with a catheter
Blood-pressure readings are sent to
a wireless scanner for monitoring
Pressure changes deflect the transducer’s
diaphragm and change the LC circuit’s
resonant frequency
Source: Electronic Design
ImplantableAneurismMonitor CardioMEMS
16
17. Fully implantable within the brain
Allow natural studies of brain activity
in moving subjects and represents a
potential major step toward cord-free
control of advanced prosthetics that
move with the power of thought
Wireless charging
Prototypes transmitted brain activity
data wirelessly for more than a year in
early stage tests
Source: National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
ImplantableBrainActivitySensor NIBIB,NIH
17
Wireless, implantable brain sensor, shown
next to a U.S. quarter for size comparison.
18. ImplantableBloodAnalyzerChip EPFL
Source: Implantable Devices
Tiny, implantable device for
instantaneous blood analysis
Wireless data transmission to a doctor
Applications include monitoring
general health, and tailor drug delivery
to a patient’s unique needs
Includes five sensors and a radio
transmitter
Powered via inductive coupling from a
battery patch worn outside the body
18
19. Acoustic receiver
Antenna/sensor
PDMS membrane
Ferrite
RF radiation
Acoustic wave
Rectifier buried in PDMS
Implantable miniature pressure
sensor, powered by an acoustically
actuated cantilever from Birck
Nanotechnology Center, Purdue
University
No battery required as acoustic
waves in the 200-500 hertz range
cause cantilever to vibrate,
scavenging energy to power
pressure sensor and electronics
Source: Popular Science
ImplantablePressureSensor Purdue
19
20. WearableSkinSensor KTH
Source: Chemistry 2011
Bio-patch for measuring and collecting
vital information through the skin
Inexpensive, versatile and comfortable
to wear for the user
Data being gathered depends on
where it is placed on the body:
• Chest: electrocardiography (ECG)
• Skull: measure brainwaves (EEC)
• Forearm: measure muscle
response to stimulation from the
nervous system (EMG)
Skin sensor on flex substrate
20
21. Implantable MEMS drug delivery
system
Device can deliver a vasoconstrictor
agent on demand to injured soldiers to
prevent hemorrhagic shock
Other applications include medical
implants for cancer detection and
monitoring
Implant can provide physicians and
patients real-time information on the
efficacy of treatment regimes
MEMSDrugDeliveryDevices CPRL
Source: MIT 21
22. Wireless shoe insert to help diabetics
manage peripheral nerve damage
Insole collects data of where wearers
are putting pressure on their feet and
transmits wirelessly a wristwatch-type
display or a smartphone
Prevent amputations that often stem
from diabetic foot ulcers
PressureSensorforDamagedNerves Orpyx
Source: Mobile Health News
Wireless transmission from insole to wrist
watch using ANT+
22
23. Endoscope using MEMS scanning
mirror for gastrointestinal and
urological imaging
Alternative to biopsies in cancer
detection
A laser beam pointed at the mirror is
precisely deflected and steered by the
scanning mirror to reach a target point
EndoscopeProbe Santec
Source: Santec
Optical Fiber
Sheath
Collimator
Focus Lens
MEMS Scanner
Ferrule
PhotovoltaicCell
Beam Splitter
ϕ 5 mm
λ 1.5 um
λ 1.3 um
23
24. Microfluidic MEMS for diabetes
treatment
Watertight pump mounted on a
disposable skin patch to provide
continuous insulin infusion
Controlled by a dedicated smartphone
device incorporating a BGM (blood-
glucose meter)
InsulinMicropump Debiotech
Source: Micronews 24
25. Micromachined surgical tools; silicon
MEMS tweezers
Used for minimally invasive surgical
(MIS) procedures where diagnosis,
monitoring, or treatment of diseases
are performed, performing with very
small incisions
MEMS based microsurgical tools is a
key enabling technology for
angioplasty, catheterization,
endoscopy, laparoscopy, and
neurosurgery
MicrosurgicalTools Microfabrica
Source: ElectrolQ 25
26. Biomedical engineers atWashington
University have developed a custom-
fitted, implantable device for
treatment and prediction of cardiac
disorders
Working prototypes were developed
on inexpensive 3D printers
The 3D elastic membrane is made of a
soft, flexible, silicon material precisely
shaped to match the outer layer of the
heart
ImplantableHeartSensor Wash.University
Source: Kurzweil
3D elastic membrane integrated with a heart
26
27. AboutUs
RogueValley Microdevices was
founded in 2003 and is dedicated to
providing fabrication services for the
MEMS and microelectronics industry
Located in Medford, Oregon we
maintain a 200mm MEMS device
foundry supporting our customers
from the early R&D phase through
pilot production
We are dedicated to providing foundry
services for the MEMS, nanotech, and
biotech industries. Our wafer
processing modules are designed to
handle silicon wafer substrates as well
as a variety of other materials such as
quartz, glass, sapphire, and ceramic
wafers
27
28. INDUSTRIES
Semiconductor
MEMS and nanotechnology
Sustainable technology
Biotechnology
Optoelectronics
Telecommunications
MEMSFoundry
CUSTOMERS
Device Manufacturers
Government
Universities
Equipment manufacturers
Materials distributors
Research and development
Government
Academia
Emerging tech R&D
Proof of concept
Large Company
Product development
Small R&D projects
Start up company
R&D small batch device
fabrication
Midsize company
Process optimization
Pilot production
Rogue Valley Micro
MEMS Foundry
We provide manufacturing services to a
worldwide customer base that spans
many high-tech industries
28
29. Our Services
Full Service MEMS Foundry with dedicated 200mm
Production LinePhoto mask layout
MEMS fabrication on CMOS wafers
Suspended membrane fabrication
Front – to – back alignment
I-line stepper lithography
Precious metal deposition and
patterning
Multi-layer metal films including
Au/Sn solder
Reactively sputtered dielectric and
Resistive Materials
LPCVD and PECVD dielectric film
deposition
KOH andTMAH silicon etch
Metal liftoff processing
Polyimide processing
PROCESS CAPABILITIES
29
30. One Stop Shop vs. Pit Stop
RogueValley
Micro
Design but no
manufacturing capability
Thin Films
Deposition
Photo
Patterning
Etch
Design
Review
Device
Singulation
Fabless
Customer
Fab Short
Customer
Design but limited
manufacturing capability
Final
Inspection
Flexible equipment set
Small batch sizes
Creative and experienced engineers
Ability to work with non-standard
materials
Great customer service
Willing to provide data
Research and Development
We are not too big for small
R&D projects
30
R&DDeviceManufacturing