Biomedical Sensor

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Definition of Sensor
• Sensor = Transducer ?
• Sensor = Actuator?

• Sensor : a device which converts a physical parameter to an electrical input

• Transducer : a device which converts energy from one form to another
• Actuator : a device which converts an electrical energy to a mechanical or
physical output
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What is Biomedical Sensor?
• Any instrumentation system that can be described as having three
fundamental components:
• A sensor → serves “a special function” it interfaces the instrument with the system
being measured
• A signal processor
• A display and/or storage device

• Biomedical instrumentation
• Biomedical sensor is the interface between the electronic instrument and the biological
system
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Important Concerns
• The sensor can effect the system
• Must be designed to minimize their interaction with the biological host
• Does not affect the variable being measured in the vicinity of the sensor

• The biological system can effect the performance of the sensor

• The foreign body reaction might cause the host’s system to attempt to break down
the materials of the sensor in order to remove it

• Sensors that are implanted in the body are not accessible for calibration
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What’s Important?
• Accuracy
• Operational Range
• Response Time
• Sensitivity
• Resolution
• Reproducibility
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Classification
• In terms of the quantities that they measure
• Physical sensors
• Chemical sensors
• Bio-analytical sensors or biosensors

• According to how they are used with respect to the biological

system
• Noninvasive biomedical sensors
• Indwelling sensors (minimally invasive sensors)
• Invasive sensors
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Physical Sensors
• Used in measuring physical quantities
• Displacement
• Goniometer : knee and elbow
• Strain
• Wire length and width
• Chest contraction
• Force plates
• Thermistor
• Change resistance with temperature
• Cavity or closed area
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Chemical Sensors
• Used to determine the concentration of chemical substances
within a host
• Sensing the presence and the concentration of biochemical
materials in the host
• Blood oxygen → Clarke electrode
• Chem. Reaction with platinum, Transcutaneous, Heat releases oxygen
through skin
• Hemoglobin
• Optical oximeter
• Light absorption by blood
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The most famous biomedical sensors
The most common three types of the biomedical sensors

Electrochemical Optical Thermal

a. Amperometric a. Colorimetric a. Calorimetric

b. Potentiometric b. Emmision and b. Thermo

absorption conductivity
spectroscopy

c. Coulometric c. Fluorescence
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Bio-analytical Sensors or Biosensors
• Used to measure some internal quantities like enzymes
• A special class of sensors that evolve biological molecules
• Enzyme biosensors, microbial sensors, ECG, EMG
• Following biochemical reaction :
• Enzyme – substrate
• Antigen – antibody
• Ligand – receptor
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Enzyme Biosensors
• Biological specific mediators
• Reagents for reaction or catalyzing
• Enzymes
• 2000 proteins with biocatalytic properties
• Accelerate reactions in cells
• Embed in neutral matrix
• Glucose sensor
• Enzyme glucose oxidase
• Useful for diabetics
• Measure gluconic acid or hydrogen peroxide
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Microbial Biosensors
• Assimilitation of organic compounds by microorganisms
• Look for secretions by micros
• H2, CO2, etc
• Need immobilized microbes
• Ammonia and nitrogen dioxide
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Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Electrocardiogram → heart
• Electrode
• Polymer and carbon/metal filler
• Silver chloride contact
• Electrolytic foam
• Motion artifacts
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EMG and EEG
• Electromyogram → muscle
• Electroenchepalogram → nerve
• Surface are like ECG
• Direct
• Needle
• Bipolar electrode
• EEG
• Brains
• Cups (gel)
• Subdermal (10 mm, 0.5 mm)
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Bio-analytical Sensors or Biosensors
• Stability is important for bioanalytical sensors, especially
those that are used for long-term measurements.
• Related to preservation of the biological molecules used in
the first portion of the sensor.
• These molecules can often be degraded or destroyed by heat
or exposure to light.

The preservation of the biochemical components of the sensor

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Noninvasive biomedical sensors
• Do not even contact the biological system
• Noncontacting sensors
• Sensors of radiant heat or sound energy
• Can be placed on the body surface like skin surface
• Thermometers, biopotential electrodes, and strain gauges
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Indwelling sensors
• Can be placed into a natural body cavity that communicate
with the outside
• Oral-rectal thermometers, intraurine pressure transducers,
and stomach pH sensors
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Invasive sensors
• Need to be surgically placed
• Require some tissue damage associated with their
installation
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Sensor Error Sources
• Five basic categories
• Insertion error
• Application error
• Characteristic error
• Dynamic error
• Environmental error
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