Devices such as implantable biomedical systems will in the future become really miniature computers that employ sensitive, low voltage, low power, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to measure, monitor, regulate physiological parameters, and control the delivery of electrical impulses to different organs in the human body.

The low power requirements for biomedical implanted devices require the optimization at both the system level and the circuit level. In particular, the way sensors are powered, analog processing and filter are implemented, type, speed and resolution of analog to digital converter the implementation of the voltage regulator, and communication parts are important for such systems.

The requirements for an implantable system are:

• To function reliable in vivo for a specified period of time allowing measurement and stimulation of functions;
• To function wireless/telemetry;
• To be biocompatibIe and have a minimal impact on ‘normal’ physiological cell function (i.e. minimal trauma);
• To capture signals and perform signal processing in vivo;
• To enable post measurement placement.
• To have low power consumption.

For more information contact: Ovidiu Vermesan, Joar Martin Østby