Abstract
“Smart and intelligent” structures are defined as structures capable of monitoring their own “health” condition and structural behavior, such structures are capable of sensing external environmental conditions, making decisions, and sending the information to other locations. Available conventional devices and systems are not technologically mature for such applications. New classes of miniature devices and networking systems are urgently needed for such applications. In this paper, two examples of the successful work achieved so far, in biomedical application of smart structures, are presented. The first one is based on the development of a smart bone fixation device for rehabilitation and treatment. This device includes a smart composite bar that can sense physical stress applied to the fractured bones, and send the information to the patient′s physician remotely. The second is on the development of smart fabrics for many applications including health monitoring and diagnostics. Successful development of such smart fabrics with embedded fiber optic sensors and networks is mainly dependent on the development of the proper miniature sensor technology, and on the integration of these sensors into textile structures. The developed smart structures will be discussed and samples of the results will be presented.
Highlights
During the twentieth century, tremendous progress has been achieved in the field of biomedical engineering
The idea of using smart structures in biomedical applications will have a strong impact on the advancement of health monitoring and diagnostics systems
The smart bone fixation device presented in this paper is an example of how smart structures can be integrated into various rehabilitation devices and artificial body parts for continuous health monitoring and improvement
Summary
Tremendous progress has been achieved in the field of biomedical engineering. This achievement can be attributed to the development of novel electronics and optical devices and systems. Integrated circuits and fiber optics developed and processed in microstructural devices were behind marvelous achievements in biomedical engineering. A portable blood analysis device, the size of a matchbox, is an example of how crucial integrated circuits and fiber optics are
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
