SBIR Phase I: A Batteryless Wireless Impedance Sensor System For Gastroesophageal Reflux Diagnosis

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目探索先进技术，以开发一种变革性的微型无电池无线阻抗传感器，该传感器适用于通过口腔和食管的内窥镜植入，以方便患者诊断和预后胃食管反流病（GERD）。一种不需要外部拴系连接并具有检测酸和非酸发作能力的可植入微型无电池无线设备是患者和医生的食管反流监测的首选。该系统包括一个微型的基于食道的传感器，它可以附着在食管壁的一段很长的时间和外部可穿戴阅读器。来自传感器的阻抗变化可以指示性质上为酸性和非酸性的反流事件。该项目的智力优势包括优化人体植入应用的无线功率传输效率，低功耗电路设计和微型器件制造/封装，硅纳米线传感器表面改性，和整个无线传感器系统的表征。更广泛的影响/该项目的商业潜力将大大提高科学和技术的理解无源无线通信的微型医疗植入物，改善医疗程序，降低医疗成本，并实现定期筛查方法的准确测量，以防止无法治愈的食管癌的发生。所提出的系统提供了一个创新的和实用的解决方案，胃食管反流监测的优点，无电池操作，便携式无线通信，阻抗传感方法，和微型尺寸，使舒适的内窥镜植入。凭借这些优势，临床医生可以精确地诊断反流，电子记录显示定量数据，具有成本效益和门诊程序，可用于大规模人群和潜在的定期筛查。在美国和全球老龄化人口中，有1900万成年人有持续的反流症状，拟议的诊断和预后系统将对医疗程序和成本产生重大影响。随着舒适度和准确性的提高，该系统将使诊所能够进行定期筛查程序，从而提供巨大的商业潜力和可持续的市场规模。该技术开发还解决了微型医疗植入物和身体传感器网络中的便携式无线电子产品中的半导体芯片的应用和制造的商业潜力

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project explores advanced technologies to develop a transformative miniature batteryless wireless impedance sensor that is suitable for endoscopic implantation through the mouth and esophagus for the comfort and convenience of patients in the diagnosis and prognosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). An implantable miniature batteryless wireless device that does not require externally tethered connections and has the ability to detect acid and nonacid episodes is preferred for esophageal reflux monitoring by both patients and doctors. The proposed system consists of a miniature nanowire-based sensor which can be attached on esophagus wall for a long period of time and an external wearable reader. The impedance variations from the sensor can indicate episodes of reflux that are both acidic and non-acidic in nature. The intellectual merits in this project include the optimization of wireless power transfer efficiency for human implant applications, low-power circuitry design and miniature device fabrication/packaging, sensor surface modification with silicon nanowires, and characterization of the entire wireless sensor system.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will enhance greatly the scientific and technological understanding of passive wireless communication for miniature medical implants, improve healthcare procedures, reduce healthcare costs, and enable accurate measurements for regular screening methods to prevent the occurrence of incurable esophageal cancers. The proposed system provides an innovative and practical solution for gastroesophageal reflux monitoring with advantages of batteryless operation, portable wireless communication, impedance sensing method, and miniature size enabling comfortable endoscopic implantation. With these advantages, clinicians can precisely diagnose reflux with electronic records showing quantitative data with cost-effective and out-patient procedures that can be used for large population and potentially periodic screening. With 19 million adults who have consistent reflux symptoms in US and the global aging population, the proposed system for diagnosis and prognosis will have a significant impact on healthcare procedures and costs. With improved comfort level and accuracy, the system will enable regular screening procedures in clinics which in return offer a great commercial potential with a sustainable market size. The technology development also addresses commercial potentials for applications and manufacturing of semiconductor chips in miniature medical implants and portable wireless electronics in body sensor networking