MAGNETOELASTIC SENSORS FOR BIOMEDICAL MONITORING

该提案旨在支持一种新的传感器技术的开发和应用，该技术能够远程，现场，实时同时测量压力，温度和ph。传感器由磁致伸缩，磁弹性非晶态金属玻璃的带状薄膜组成。在响应磁场脉冲时，传感器有效地将磁能转化为弹性能，弹性能反过来使传感器发生机械变形。由于材料是磁致伸缩的，机械变形产生随时间变化的磁通量，可以通过使用远程定位的拾取线圈来检测。这种机械变形显示了一种共振，其频率取决于介质和传感器之间的界面物理特性，从而可以确定压力、温度和液体粘度。结合质量变化的化学反应层，也可以监测化学分析物浓度。这种传感器的单位成本约为0.01美元，可以一次性使用。在该计划的支持下，传感器组装和处理电子将被扩展、小型化和封装，从而允许将技术从实验室转化为应用。建议的商业应用：远程、实时、原位测量胃pH值和压力的一次性传感器，患者可以简单地吞下它，这将是对当前监测食管症状技术的巨大改进。该技术的远程查询性质也将为生物化学分析物浓度的现场监测（如葡萄糖）提供巨大的实用价值。

This proposal seeks support for the development and application of a new sensor technology that enables remote, in-situ, real-time simultaneous measurement of pressure, temperature, and pH. The sensors are comprised of ribbon-shaped films of magnetostrictive, magnetoelastic amorphous metallic glass. In response to a magnetic field pulse the sensors efficiently translate magnetic energy into elastic energy which, in turn, acts to mechanically deform the sensor. Since the material is magnetostrictive, the mechanical deformation acts to generate time- varying magnetic flux that can be detected through the use of a remotely located pickup coil. This mechanical deformation demonstrates a resonance the frequency of which is dependent upon the inter-facial physics between the medium and the sensor, allowing determination of pressure, temperature, and liquid viscosity. In combination with a mass changing chemically response layer, chemical analyte concentrations can be monitored as well. The sensors have a unit cost of approximately $0.01, allowing them to be used on a disposable basis. Under the auspices of this program the sensor assembly and processing electronics will be extended, miniaturized, and packaged allowing for translation of the technology from laboratory to application. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Remote, real-time, in-situ measurement of gastric pH and pressure from a disposable sensor that the patient could simply swallow would be an immense improvement over current technology for monitoring of esophageal symptoms. The remote query nature of the technology would also find great utility for in-situ monitoring of biological chemical analyte concentrations such as glucose.