SBIR Phase I: Unlocking the Internet of Medical Things Through Ultrasonic Networking Technology

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是网络化医疗植入物的开发和应用。该团队将进行深入的可行性研究，以开发超声医疗物联网(IoMT)小型化嵌入式系统的概念验证原型。该平台封闭在钛生物兼容外壳中，将成为具有超声波无线连接的植入式医疗设备的基础，并将应用于人类和兽医领域的多种疗法。患者将受益于提供实时无线遥测和可重新编程的植入物，同时将对植入物电池寿命的影响降至最低，从而减少通常复杂和昂贵的设备/电池更换。实时连续监测还可能改善几种疗法的临床结果，为患者提供有关生理参数的实时信息(例如，葡萄糖或起搏器读数)。这将减少耗时和昂贵的办公室就诊和住院治疗。IoMT平台还将使先进疗法的开发成为可能，这些疗法需要在多个植入式传感和刺激设备之间通过组织进行无线可靠的通信。从安全角度来看，IoMT将消除拥挤的射频(RF)频谱的电磁兼容性问题。因此，它对医疗机构的射频频谱管理程序更加安全和透明。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发首个超声医疗物联网(IoMT)平台的概念验证原型，这是一种具有超声波无线通信能力的小型化、生物兼容的植入式设备。在不久的将来，带有传感器和执行器的植入式医疗设备的无线联网系统将成为许多革命性疗法的基础。然而，生物组织吸收射频(RF)电磁波，这是Wi-Fi和蓝牙等无线技术的基础。因此，需要更高的传输功率来建立可靠的链路，这缩短了可植入设备的电池寿命。IoMT平台将通过一种基于超声波的新专有技术提供无线连接，该技术是基于射频的技术的更安全、更安全和更低功率的替代方案。项目团队将进行四项研究任务，以证明该设备的技术和商业可行性：(I)探索设计IoMT平台核心架构的最佳实践；(Ii)发现能源性能优化的技术；(Iii)确定为该设备供电的最佳实践；(Iv)在定制印刷电路板上集成和测试组件。在这些任务中，团队将认识到并解决形状因素、材料的生物兼容性、通信性能和功耗之间的设计权衡。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is development and application of networked medical implants. The team will conduct an in-depth feasibility study to develop a proof-of-concept prototype of an ultrasonic Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) miniaturized embedded system. Enclosed in a titanium biocompatible casing, this platform will be the basis of implantable medical devices with ultrasonic wireless connectivity and will be applied to multiple therapies in the human and veterinary spaces. Patients will benefit from implants that provide real-time wireless telemetry and reprogrammability while minimally affecting the implant battery life, therefore reducing device/battery replacements that are often complex and costly. Real-time continuous monitoring may also improve the clinical outcome for several therapies providing patients with real- time information about physiological parameters (e.g., glucose or pacemaker readings). This will reduce time-consuming and expensive in-office visits and hospitalizations. The IoMT platform will also enable the development of advanced therapies that require wireless reliable communication through tissues between multiple implantable sensing and stimulating devices. From a security perspective, the IoMT will eliminate electromagnetic compatibility concerns of a crowded radio-frequency (RF) spectrum. It is therefore safer and transparent to the RF spectrum management procedures of healthcare facilities.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop the first proof-of-concept prototype of an ultrasonic Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) platform, a miniaturized, biocompatible implantable device with ultrasonic wireless communication capabilities. In the near future, wirelessly networked systems of implantable medical devices endowed with sensors and actuators will be the basis of many revolutionary therapies. However, biological tissues absorb radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic waves, which are the basis of wireless technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. As a consequence, higher transmission power is needed to establish reliable links, which reduces the battery lifetime of an implantable device. The IoMT platform will offer wireless connectivity through a new and proprietary technology based on ultrasonic waves that is a safer, more secure, and lower-power alternative to RF-based technologies. The project team will conduct four research tasks to demonstrate the technical and commercial feasibility of the device: (i) explore best practices to design the core architecture of the IoMT platform; (ii) discover techniques for energy performance optimization; (iii) define best practices for powering the device; (iv) integrate and test components on a custom printed circuit board. Throughout these tasks, the team will recognize and address design tradeoffs between form factor, biocompatibility of materials, communication performance, and power consumption.