MEMS APPLICATIONS IN BIOMEDICAL

SCIENCE
Hitesh1, Abhijeet Kumar2, Sachin Kumar3
1

M.Tech student, Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, M.M.U Mullana, Haryana, India
2
Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, M.M.U Mullana, Haryana, India
3
M.Tech student, Department of Electrical Engineering, M.M.U Mullana, Haryana, India

Abstract This paper addresses the applications of MEMS

(Micro-electromechanicalsystems) devices in bio-medical field
and also addresses some recent developments in biochemical and
biomedical applications of MEMS technology. Complex devices
like mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, magnetic, fluidic can
be fabricated by using MEMS technologies on a very
miniaturized level. Because of this unique characteristic, MEMS
technologies are being applied in the field of biomedical, biology,
medicine engineering generally referred as BIOMEMS. MEMS
technology is enabling a wide variety of biomedical systems. This
technology is now integrating micro-scale sensors, actuators,
micro-fluidics, micro-optics, and structural elements with
computation, communications, and control for applications to
medicine for the improvement of human health.

donut structure can enlarge the blood pressure sensing area to

five times that of conventional sensors, enabling super-high
sensitivity in detecting pressure levels. In addition,
conventional measurement methods were based on the
detection of pressure changes, s the readings were affected by
ambient temperature. To alleviate this drawback, OMRON
developed a method that detects electrical capacitance
changes. This led to the development of a MEMS pressure
sensor capable of delivering accurate blood pressure readings
regardless of environmental conditions.

Keywords MEMS, piezoresistive, capacitive, micro-machined,

biomechanics

INTRODUCTION
Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) is a technology
that combines computers with tiny mechanical devices such as
sensors, valves, gears, mirrors, and actuators embedded in
semiconductor chips. MEMS are already used as
accelerometers in automobile air-bags. They have replaced a
less reliable device at lower cost and show promise of being
able to inflate a bag not only on the basis of the size of the
person they are protecting. Basically, a MEMS device
contains micro-circuitry on a tiny silicon chip into which
some mechanical device as a mirror or a sensor has been
manufactured. Other names for this general field include
micro-systems, popular in Europe, and micro-machines,
popular in Asia.
MICRO-SENSORS IN BIOMEDICAL FIELD
The majority of MEMS used in biomedical applications act
as sensors. Examples include critical sensors used during
surgery (i.e., measuring intravascular blood pressure), longterm sensors for prosthetic devices, and highly sophisticated
sensor array for rapid lab-quality diagnosis at home.

Fig: 1 Donut-shaped MEMS pressure sensor built into digital blood pressure
monitors.

PIEZORESISTIVE SENSOR
The piezoresistive effect in silicon has been widely used
for implementing pressure sensors. A pressure induced strain
deforms the silicon band structure, thus changing the
resistivity of the material. The piezoresistive effect is typically
crystal-orientation dependent and is also affected by doping
and temperature. A practical piezoresistive pressure sensor can
be implemented by fabricating four sensing resistors along the
edges of a thin silicon diaphragm, which acts as a mechanical
amplifier to increase the stress and strain at the sensor site.
The four sensing elements are connected in a bridge
configuration with push-pull signals to increase the sensitivity.
The measurable pressure range for such a sensor can be from
103 to 106 torr, depending on the design.

MEMS-POWERED PORTABLE BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORS

These devices have made it possible for people in their own
homes to easily measure their bold pressure, which is an
important indicator for health conditions. OMRONs sensor is
very small yet is sensitive enough to measure blood pressure
from a persons finger. The secret in its donut structure
created through MEMS micromachining technology. The new

Fig: 2 piezoresistive pressure sensor

The device consists of a silicon diaphragm suspended over a

reference vacuum cavity to form an absolute pressure sensor.
An external pressure applied over the diaphragm introduces a
stress on the sensing resistors, resulting in a resistance value
change corresponding to the pressure.

micro-machined to form strain gauges very easily.

Applications of such miniaturized strain gauges include
orthopedic research and the study of muscles.

CAPACITIVE SENSOR
Capacitive pressure sensors are attractive because
they are virtually temperature independent and
consume zero DC power. The devices do not
exhibit initial turn-on drift and are stable over
time. Furthermore, CMOS microelectronic circuits
can be readily interfaced with the sensors to
provide advanced signal conditioning and
processing, thus improving overall system
performance. An example of a capacitive
pressure sensor is shown in figure shown below.
The device consists of an edge-clamped silicon
diaphragm suspended over a vacuum cavity. The
diaphragm can be square or circular with a
typical thickness of a few micrometers and a
length or radius of a few hundred micrometers,
respectively.

Fig 4: working concept behind the strain gauge on a beam under exaggerated
bending.
Fig: 3 Cross-sectional schematic of a capacitive pressure
sensor

BIOMECHANICS MICRO-SENSORS
STRAIN GAUGES
A strain gauge is a device used to measure the strain of an
object. Invented by Edward E. Simmons and Arthur C. Ruge
in 1938. The most common type of strain gauge consists of
an insulating flexible backing which supports a metallic foil
pattern. The gauge is attached to the object by a suitable
adhesive. As the object is deformed, the foil is deformed,
causing its electrical resistance to change. This resistance
change, usually measured using a Wheatstone bridge, is
related to the strain by the quantity known as the gauge factor.
Since silicon is an excellent piezoresistive material (i.e., its
resistance changes as a function of applied force), it can be

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF MEMS IN MEDICAL

APPLICATIONS
Recent advances in MEMS technology have led to
development of a multitude of new devices. However
applications of these devices are hampered by challenges
posed by their integration and packaging. Current trend in
micro-systems is to produce ever smaller, lighter, more
capable devices at a lower cost than ever before. In addition,
the finished products have to operate at very low power and in
very adverse conditions while assuring durable and reliable
performance. Some of the new devices were developed to
function at high rotational speeds, others to make accurate
measurements of operating conditions of specific processes.
Most current MEMS products are fabricated using bulk
micromachining techniques. Disposable micro-machined

blood pressure sensors provided smaller size at substantially

lower costs
CONCLUSIONS
BioMEMS represents an exciting and growing field with
opportunities of improving the human condition and reducing
the cost of health care delivery. Surgical micro-systems offer
potential advantages of allowing intelligent, precision surgery
with a shorter recovery time for the patient. Micromachining
and MEMS technologies are powerful tools for enabling the
miniaturization of devices useful in biomedical engineering.
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