Advanced Instrumentation Methods for Biomedical and Oilfield Applications

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The objective of the proposed research is to investigate, design, implement and test innovative instrumentation methods for biomedical and oilfield engineering applications. In the recent years the development of electronic instrumentation has influenced immensely the areas of biomedical and oilfield engineering. Although dramatically different from application point of view, the two areas have a lot in common from the perspective of electronic instrumentation. The infra-low frequency nature of the monitored signals and processes associated with biomedical and oilfield systems are among the most important factors linking them. In addition, recent advancements in electronic instrumentation related to the transition from macro-instrumentation to micro-instrumentation through the development of wireless microsystems and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), combined with real-time and multichannel signal processing, as well as advanced information handling, imply that integrated approach could be extremely beneficial. Specifically, the recent development of "smart" microsystems applicable both in the human body and downhole created new opportunities for synergy and fusion. My research will concentrate on the development of: (1) a miniature, sequentially-actuated, multi-cell, wireless, semi-invasive patch for pseudo-continuous monitoring of blood sugar levels for diabetics ("Electronic Mosquito") and (2) wireless, downhole-mounted real-time inertial navigation system for azimuth monitoring in measurement-while-drilling oilfield applications. The first project, the Electronic Mosquito, is a skin-attachable microsystem for blood sampling and analysis. The overall vision for the apparatus is to resemble an array of real mosquitoes sequentially penetrating the skin each to sample a small blood droplet. The overall vision for the second project is to replace the conventional methods in horizontal drilling which incorporate magnetic surveying techniques for determining the position and the attitude of the bottom-hole assembly with modern, inertial navigation system (INS)-based microsystems utilizing our patented method, In-Drilling Alignment, for more precise downhole surveying.