Tracks: 2018 MSTC Full Conference, MedTech, Products, Sensors & Sensor Networks
MSTC 2018 Session 2: HEALTH & WELLNESS
Tuesday February 13, 2018 ~ 3:30 - 4:00 PM
Seyedhamidreza Alaie is a postdoctoral associate at Cornell University’s medical college, Weill Cornell Medicine. His domains of expertise are MEMS, microfabrication, and medical devices. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Engineering from the University of New Mexico in 2015. He also holds Master Degrees in Optical Science and Mechanical Engineering. Some of his most recent work is focused on the micro opto-mechanical resonators for mass detection, lithography on nonplanar surface of implants, and implantable microsystems for remote monitoring of intracardiac pressure. Currently, at Weill Cornell Medicine & NewYork–Presbyterian ranked as a top 10 medical school and hospital in the country, he is partnering with physicians and engineers to develop implants for treatment of cardiovascular diseases. His research has resulted in 4 patents, and over 16 articles in prestigious journals such as Nature Communications and Nature Biomedical Engineering.
We demonstrate organic film-like microsystems that act as in vivo passive pressure sensors with an ultrasound probe. The microsystems are engineered such that their acoustic resonance is sensitive to pressure. They comprise flexible microfabricated resonators with entrapped gasses/voids which act as a pressure reference. When the pressure around the films changes, the dimensions and the resonant frequency of the micoresonators change. This change is detected in the echo signal reflected from the films. Our test set up, simulating human body, demonstrates the pressure measurement resolution is about 0.5 psi. Because of the small wavelength of the medical ultrasound (~ 140 µm), the sensors are miniaturized in a film as thin as 250 µm. Therefore, the films are ideal for implantation and passive measurement of pressure using minimally invasive implants, and medical ultrasound. The dimensions of these films are one order of magnitude smaller than the implants currently used for in vivo pressure monitoring. We elucidate the origin of the observed acoustic response, and the routes to engineer the resolution, dimensions and durability of these sensors. Finally, the applications of the film-like passive sensors in the healthcare industry are discussed.