Sensors in medical treatment

Introduction

Medical treatments nowadays depend on a variety of devices, including medical sensors. These sensors detect and measure physical, chemical, or biological signals. They also measure light intensity, vibrations, and sound levels. Today, there are many different types of sensors used in the medical field, such as:

• Biosensors
• Blood Glucose Sensors
• Blood Oxygen Sensors
• ECG Sensors
• Heart Rate Sensors
• Image Sensors
• Ingestible Sensors
• Motion Sensors
• Pressure Sensors
• Temperature Sensors
• Touch Sensors

Healthcare professionals who work in orthopedics, diagnostics, cardiovascular treatment, diabetes, dentistry, and surgery, for example, use medical sensors regularly.

What is the process involved in designing medical sensors?

Miniature medical sensors include active implantable devices like pacemakers, neurostimulators, or pumps that detect drugs in the body as well as passive implantable devices like catheters and access ports. The production of these devices involves a three-stage process of designing, manufacturing, and implementation.

Design

The design of medical sensors follows the client’s criteria and requirements. The process of manufacture needs specialized machines.

Manufacture

The production of these medical sensors requires on-site labs that provide a suitable, non-contaminated working environment for the engineers associated with the process.

Implementation

The manufactured device undergoes quality checks to determine whether it is complies with Internal Standards. After going through all those processes, the product is then delivered to the hospital, dental practice, clinic, etc..

Application of medical sensors

Miniature medical sensors have a variety of applications. Let’s look at some of them:

• Temperature sensors measure body temperature.
• Some can heat or freeze cancerous tumors, thus helping in the treatment of cancers.
• They can reduce the energy consumption of body implants.
• Some sensors can locate inaccessible places within the human body.
• They can increase the lifespan of body implants.

Specifications in the manufacture of medical coils

Miniature sensors consist of of ultra-thin miniscule wires or a series of spiral loops called medical coils. Only some manufacturers – those with specific equipment and skills – are able to produce medical coils.

Manufacturers must…:

• …produce coils according to customers’ specific requirements.
• …make sure they are of the highest standard.
• …cross-check their coils to make sure that they are free of faults.
• …use state-of-the art machines that can wind miniature coils.
• …make sure their diameters are exactly what clients require.
• …have heat setting or cold forming technologies, which can produce coils of various shapes and sizes.
• …use materials such as PEBAX, FEP, and ETFE for the coating of the wires.

Final thoughts

Medical device manufacturers, including those that produce sensors, play a crucial role in the success of modern medical practice. They provide doctors with medical devices and instruments that make their jobs easier and more effective. In fact, today, most doctors would find it very difficult to function successfully, or as well as their peers, without these devices.

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Interesting related article: “What is a medical device?“