Implantable Antennas in Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Biomedical telemetry permits the measurement of physiological signals at a distance, through either wired or wireless communication technologies. Physiological signals are obtained by means of appropriate transducers, post-processed, and eventually transmitted to exterior monitoring/control equipment. One of the latest developments of bio medical telemetry is in the field of implantable medical devices (IMDs). Low-frequency inductive links have long been the most prevalent method of biotelemetry for implantable medical devices. However, they suffer from low data rates (1-30 kbps), restricted range of communication (<; 10 cm), and increased sensitivity to inter-coil positioning. To overcome these limitations, research is currently oriented towards radiofrequency (RF)-linked implantable medical devices.