The IoT library: To better living through biosensors
The future of healthcare may be glimpsed at the edges of wearable and sensor technology.
New biosensors and bioelectronics systems, many designed to work with smartphones, span a range of advanced technologies: optics, surface plasmon resonance, electrochemistry, and near-field communication among them. While not exactly considered “wearables,” smartphones are portable, are always with us, and can serve as an ideal platform for the system integration of health sensors such as test strips, sensor chips, and hand-held detectors, all for biochemical detections purposes.
One ‘must read’ on this topic is Biosensors and bioelectronics on smartphone for portable biochemical detection (paywall); recommended to anyone facing the technology challenges of designing mobile bio-sensing equipment.
What’s the shortest path to the best solution? What applications are needed for optimal point-of-care monitoring? To find out, authors Diming Zhang and Qingjun Liu analyze a range of sensor strategies, detector attachments, and coupling methods, all with a mind to seeing what works best.
With high technologies come high expectations: we have a growing, aging population worldwide; higher standards of living in the developing countries, more sophisticated medical consumers.
The health care industry has invested heavily in patient technology research and development over the years, especially in pursuit of easily worn, unobtrusive treatment devices that help patients and care providers monitor physical conditions constantly and over longer periods. That’s a fundamental change; previously health monitoring was only possible as infrequent events.
The intersection of demand and available technology is an explosive mixture; a huge market looms. Based on long-term electronics technology trends, this industry segment is poised to see a significant return on that investment.
The technology at the core of it all: Semiconductors, integrated circuits, software, Moore’s Law. We’re seeing a significant portfolio unfolding of advanced designs and application breakthroughs that health care systems in the U.S. and other advanced countries are just beginning to market. Things like miniaturized, wearable health detection and monitoring devices, all using the same, core IC electronic and design technologies common to the Internet of Things.
Where does it all go from here? Learn more about what the future of health, care, and electronics technology by downloading: Advances in bio-inspired sensing help people lead healthier lives. It’s the perfect guide for understanding how semiconductor technology advancements enable new portable and wearable devices for bio-sensing and monitoring, and how advanced technology is being used to enhance medical treatment, aid in health maintenance, and promote fitness.
A word about this column: If you’re like most engineers, you are forever on the lookout for fresh ideas and smart solutions. You have or are building your library of technical papers, documents, data sheets, products, technologies, standards, and applications for future and handy reference.
My goal here, and in future columns, is to explore some of the day’s greatest IoT design challenges — such as low power micro-computing, signal conditioning, wireless communications, sensors, actuator control, more efficient power sources and the man-machine interface — and pass along some useful resources. I hope you will find them valuable enough to archive or share.
Most important: It would be great if we could collaborate. Send me (richardkwallace@gmail.com) relevant knowledge resources.