electronics has opened up more possibilities for fitness tracking and improving health. and A team of engineers from at Columbia University have just demonstrated an extreme version of the technology. has developed the smallest single-chip system ever, and is capable of measuring body temperature after injection into the skin.
(Photo from: Chen Shi/Columbia Engineering)
Previously, researchers have demonstrated ladybug-sized implants that track oxygen levels in tissues, and Neural Dust sensors that are fine enough to monitor neural signals in real time.
But this team of engineers from Columbia University's School of Engineering has just introduced the world's smallest single-chip implant system. Despite its complete functionality, its total volume is less than 0.1 mm³.
Research Picture - 1: Introduction to Module Function
As shown in the picture taken under the microscope, it is so small that it can be easily implanted through a needle tube. The enlarged single chip has a square appearance, with sides measuring about 0.3 mm (0.01 inches).
wants to create such a sophisticated single-chip system, especially needs to spend some thought on communication and power supply mode .
Research Figure-2: Chicken Tissue Implants Observed In Vitro Use with small devices. However, under certain circumstances, we can still use the ultrasonic solution with a smaller wavelength.
Because the speed of sound is far less than the speed of light for electromagnetic wave propagation, the research team also integrated a piezoelectric transducer to use it as a "transducer" for ultrasonic wireless power supply and communication.
Research Figure-3: Micro-body temperature measurement chip
is implanted in the brain and hindlimb of mouse Combined with the on-board low-power temperature sensor, the research team has been able to use the microchip as an probe for real-time temperature sensing Needle . Looking forward to the future, it can also be expected that it can exert more abundant clinical functions such as blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood oxygen monitoring.
Previously, the research team had demonstrated the implant's function in live mice subjected to ultrasound nerve stimulation. Seven implants were even delivered to mice at a time by injecting intramuscularly with .
Study Figure - 4: Sciatic nerve temperature monitoring during FUS stimulation
Details of this study have been published recently in the journal Science Advances. The original title of
is "Application of a sub–0.1-mm3 implantable mote for in vivo real-time wireless temperature sensing".
