Wireless Health Monitoring with Tiny Magnetic Implants
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This new healthcare monitoring system utilizes millimeter-scale, chip-less, and battery-less magnetic implants, that communicate like any other wireless device. These findings by researchers from Peking University offer unprecedented possibilities for real-time monitoring of biophysical and biochemical parameters in the human body. The study was published in Science Advances.
Lead researcher Han Mengdi says: “Our miniaturized system presents exciting possibilities for advancing health monitoring. Inserting a tiny magnetic implant into the body can provide real-time data related to your health status. We aim to use such magnetic implants to enhance the way we monitor and manage health.”
According to Interesting Engineering, these miniaturized implantable sensors eliminate the need for transcutaneous wires, integrated circuit chips, or bulky readout equipment. They have many implications and possible uses, including a reduced risk of infection, improved biocompatibility, and enhanced portability.
When performing experimental trials on rats, the researchers discovered promising capabilities for measuring critical parameters (intracranial pressure, glucose levels, etc.), as well as a strong potential for continuous, wireless monitoring of a wide range of biophysical and biochemical conditions within living organisms. The innovation can monitor vital signs and other parameters across various body regions.
Ph.D. student Wan Ji, a co-author of the paper, explains that the versatility of the system can extend beyond monitoring signals in the brain. “It can be deployed to monitor a wide array of vital signs and parameters across various body regions, from cardiovascular indicators like blood pressure and viscosity to dental and orthopedic forces, abdominal pressure, and even molecular and cellular distributions within the body.”
The system comprises millimeter-scale, chip-less, and battery-less magnetic implants paired with a seamlessly integrated wearable device. Unlike traditional methods, the wearable device can initiate a damped vibration in the magnetic implants, and then wirelessly capture the subsequent vibration motions. These motions function as indicators of the biophysical conditions surrounding the implants and the concentration of specific biochemicals, depending on surface modifications.
The innovation requires further investigation and improvement for the long-term stability and biocompatibility of magnetic implants. Nevertheless, with ongoing advancements in technology and deeper exploration of research, these challenges are expected to be addressed effectively.”
