Role of MEMS and nanotechnology in

medical technologies

Ekansh Nayal
(2008A3PS143P)
 First of all, what is MEMS ?

 MEMS stands for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

 It is a technique of combining Electrical and Mechanical components
together on a chip, to produce a system of miniature dimensions ..

 By miniature, we mean dimensions less than the

thickness of human hair !!!!
 The wonder called nanotechnology

 Nanotechnology is the technology of arranging atoms and

molecules in a material.
 This allows to alter the properties of a material and build
structures of desired features.
 A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.
 Nanotechnology makes it possible to manufacture devices 80,000
times smaller than the thickness of human hair !!
A simple analogy..
 The atoms in an object can be
compared to the blocks in a
building game.

 In a building game, the blocks

can be arranged to create
different looking structures.

 Similarly, atoms can be

arranged differently to
produce a multitude of
devices. This forms the basis of
nanotechnology.
Benefits of MEMS and nanotechnology
in medical applications

 Small volume of reagent samples (like blood), required for analysis.

 Low power consumption, hence lasts longer on the same battery.
 Less invasive, hence less painful.
 Integration permits a large number of systems to be built on a single
chip.
 Batch processing can lower costs significantly.
 Existing IC technology can be used to make these devices.
 Silicon, used in most MEMS devices, interferes lesser with body
tissues.
Can MEMS devices really replace the
existing medical devices ?

 A lot of MEMS medical

devices have been developed
that are much more sensitive
and robust than their
conventional counterparts.

 Market trends for MEMS

medical devices show a
promising future ahead.
Projected MEMS market share in
2012

Consumer 3% Medical 11%

Industrial 22%
Automotive 17%

Communictions
21% Computer 26%

http://www.memsindustrygroup.org/industy_statistics.asp
Classification of biological MEMS
devices

 Biomedical MEMS – deals “in vivo”, within the host body.

→ precision surgery
→ Biotelemetry
→ Drug delivery
→ Biosensors and other physical sensors

 Biotechnology MEMS – deals “in vitro”, with the biological samples

obtained from the host body.
→ Diagnostics
→ gene sequencing
→ Drug discover
→ pathogen detection
MEMS Sensors:-

MEMS sensors in the biomedical field maybe used

as:
 Critical sensors, used during operations.
 Long term sensors for prosthetic devices.
 Sensor arrays for rapid monitoring and
diagnosis at home.
MEMS and nanotechnology in
precision surgery
 MEMS and endoscopy
 What is endoscopy ?
 A diagnostic procedure which involves the introduction of a flexible
device into the lower or upper gastrointestinal tract for diagnostic or
therapeutic purposes.

 Conventional endoscopes
 Can be used to view only the first
third of the small intestine.
 Require sedation of patient
 Is an uncomfortable procedure
MEMS redefines endoscopy with
“Lab on a Pill”
Size : 35mm
Components of lab on a pill
 Digital camera (CMOS Technology)
 Light source
 Battery
 Radio transmitter
 Sensors (MEMS Technology)
http://www.spie.org/web/oer/august/aug00/cover2.html
 Requires no sedation
 Can show a view of the
entire small intestine
 Can aid in early detection
of colon cancer

http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~tbt/norchip2002.pdf
Working of this magic pill !

 The pill is intended to be swallowed like any normal pill.

 Once within the body, the pill's sensors sample body fluids
and pick up "meaningful patient data" such as temperature,
dissolved oxygen levels and pH.
 The pill is expected to retrieve all data over a 12-hour period
and disposed off, once excreted.
 This data is transmitted wirelessly to a card attached
to the wrist of the individual.
Micro-surgical tools

 Present day surgeons operate within a

domain restricted by the mobility and control
of the surgical tools at hand.
 MEMS surgical tools provide the flexibility
and accuracy to perform precision surgery.
MEMS driven scalpels

 Precise control of the scalpel

is an important requirement in
any surgery.
 MEMS piezoelectric motor
help to accurately position the
scalpel.
 MEMS pressure sensors
incorporated on the scalpel,
can help to measure the force
exerted on the area operated
upon. Accordingly, the scalpel
can he handled.

http://www.ee.ucla.edu/~jjudy/publications/conf
erence/msc_2000_judy.pdf
MEMS and drug
delivery
MEMS microneedles
 MEMS enables hundreds of hollow
microneedles to be fabricated on a single
patch of area, say a square centimeter.
 This patch is applied to the skin and drug
is delivered to the body using
micropumps.
 These micropumps can be electronically
controlled to allow specific amounts of
the drug and also deliver them at specific
intervals.
 Microneedles are too small to reach and
stimulate the nerve endings, and hence
cause no pain to the body.
Smart Pill

 A MEMS device that can be implanted

in the human body.
 Consists of
 biosensors
 Battery
 Control circuitry
 Drug reservoirs
 The biosensors sense the substance to
be measured, say insulin.
 Once this quantity falls below a certain
amount required by the body, the pill
releases the drug.
Challenges for MEMS medical
sensors

 Biocompatibility remains the biggest hurdle for

MEMS medical devices.
 Life of the device.
 Retrieving data out of the device.
 Resist drifting along with the body fluids.
Conclusion
 MEMS can offer new avenues in the field in the
field of Medical technology, the only problem
being the absence of abundant number of
players in the market which is causing cost
escalation in the present scenario.
 Governments should actively invest in MEMS
technology to improve the conditions of medical
facilities currently being provided to the people.
 MEMS technology requires high initial capital
investments hence is generally not in the reach
of small private firms. So governments should
arrange for the funds required for research.
Ekansh Nayal (2008A3PS143P)