Assembly packaging
Packaging and the life sciences: Finding out what is happening within the human body is the key to accurate diagnosis of many diseases. Equipment such as the stephoscope provides valuable information but is restricted to sound waves reaching the skin. X-ray and MRI scans will provide a snapshot of the internal organs but for safety reasons are not suitable for long-term monitoring. Surgical examination is expensive, carries the risk of infection and even then, may not show what is really happening. To effectively monitor the vital signs of a patient, a sensor can be implanted that is accepted by the body’s immune system and will gather data as the patient goes about their daily routine. It is possible to monitor functions such as cardiac rhythm or take photographs of the digestive system but the data needs to be transferred to outside the body.
Despite the somewhat conductive nature of human tissue it is possible to transmit radio frequency (RF) signal through it in both directions. The frequency used has universal approval that is very important for the mobile population. Any implanted device has a very limited volume so a RF transmitter or transceiver, must also be small. The power consumption must be such that the implant lifetime is not compromised. The antenna is a critical part of the RF link and must also be small – much smaller than the optimum size for the frequency. Fortunately the wavelength in the body is shorter than it would be in air.
Sensing what is going on within the body will tell the medical team what action to take. Implants that stimulate muscles or nerves can provide therapeutic functions potentially with fewer drugs. Here the RF link can be used to optimize the therapeutic implant function thus closing the diagnosis to treatment circle. The packaging of such applications is crucial to ensure
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www.euroasiasemiconductor.com Issue IV 2010
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