Scientists develop tiny sensors to monitor health inside the body. Designed to work wirelessly, chips smaller than a “grain of salt” will be implanted in the body or integrated into wearable devices

Scientists develop tiny sensors to monitor health inside the body 6y4v4p

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Designed to work wirelessly, chips smaller than a “grain of salt” will be implanted in the body or integrated into wearable devices

A group of engineers from brown university recently revealed its pioneering research into the development of tiny sensors to monitor health. This remarkable achievement represents a significant leap in the miniaturization of technology, promising to revolutionize wireless communication. From this innovation comes a new approach to communication networks, capable of transmitting, receiving and decoding data from countless tiny chips. 2hl56

With the introduction of micro sensors for the body, a promising horizon for advances in wireless sensor technology emerges. This evolution will enable, in the future, the use of vast networks of discrete implants in implantable microbial devices and wearable devices, redefining the limits of monitoring and interaction with the environment. Find out how this technological discovery works.

How do sensors work? 2x6m48

Tiny sensors for monitoring health represent a major advance in science. Image: Nick Dentamaro / Brown University

Microsensors for healthcare are meticulously designed to allow chips to be implanted in the body or integrated into wearable devices, each mimicking the complex communication between neurons in the brain. This innovative approach aims to improve the interaction between technology and the human organism, offering a new dimension of monitoring and control.

According to the study carried out by engineers at Brown University, the revolutionary potential of wearable biosensors stands out. They are designed to provide continuous, real-time physiological information using non-invasive measurements of biochemical markers present in biofluids such as tears, saliva and sweat.

To ensure continuous, uninterrupted operation, the sensors are designed to be energy efficient. They can function without the need to be constantly connected to a power source or battery, thanks to external transceivers that wirelessly provide power to the sensors while simultaneously transmitting their precious data.

How they are implanted in the body and the similarity with the brain 3m6s4s

Micro body sensors use wireless connection. Image: Brown University

The tiny sensors for monitoring health are designed to integrate seamlessly into wearable devices or implanted directly into the human body. These chips, made of silicon and with submillimeter dimensions, were designed to emulate the intricate process of communication between neurons in the brain, using spikes of electrical activity.

Through this innovative approach, implanting sensors in the body transmits real-time data wirelessly using radio waves, which not only optimizes energy consumption but also maximizes available bandwidth.

Jihum Lee, researcher postdoctoral from Brown University, highlights that the human brain operates sparsely, which means that not all neurons fire simultaneously. To ensure efficiency, these chips compress data and adopt a sparse firing pattern, thus mimicking the effectiveness of the human brain.

We are mimicking this structure here in our wireless telecommunications approach. The sensors would not be sending data all the time, they would only be sending relevant data as needed, in short bursts of electrical spikes, and would be able to do this independently of the other sensors and without coordinating with a central receiver. By doing this, we would be able to save a lot of energy and avoid flooding our central receiving hub with less significant data.

Jihun Lee, postdoctoral fellow at Brown University.

Advancements over previous devices 6z5z6j

Sensors are increasingly present in our daily lives. Image: Reproduction.

Brown School of Engineering professor and senior author of the study, Arto Numikko, talks about the ubiquity of sensors in our contemporary world. Whether in cars, workplaces or homes, their presence is increasingly noticeable. However, it is in the human body itself where the demand for these sensors is most urgent and challenging.

In this context, the professor emphasizes that the present work represents a significant advance in relation to previous research conducted in his laboratory at the university. The new approach introduces a neural interface system that operates through a coordinating network of small wireless sensors, capable of recording and stimulating brain activity in an effective and non-invasive way. This innovation promises to open new horizons in the field of neuroscience and medicine, offering more sophisticated and accessible tools.

Advances for the future of healthcare 6e3ll

Micro health sensors can bring great advances to the future of healthcare. Image: Pexels/ Edward Jenner

Micro health sensors mark a significant evolution in wireless sensor technology, promising a wide range of health benefits in the future. The researchers say this work represents an important milestone in the development of large-scale wireless sensors.

Furthermore, it is believed that these sensors will have a profound impact on the way scientists collect and interpret data from small silicon devices, paving the way for advances in monitoring and treating diverse medical conditions.

If we continue to use conventional methods, we will not be able to collect the high-channel data that these applications will require in these types of next-generation systems

Jihun Lee, postdoctoral fellow at Brown University

See also:

Sources: Brown, Interesting Engineering, The Scientist

reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 4 / 4 / 24.

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