Introduction to Biomedical

Instrumentation
 Biomedical Engineering

-advances knowledge in engineering, biology and

medicine, and improves human health through cross
disciplinary activities that integrate the engineering sciences
with the biomedical sciences and clinical practice.”
 Branches of BME
• Biomechanics
• Biomaterials
• Tissue Engineering
• Bio Signal Processing
• Biomedical Instrumentation
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Prostheses and Artificial Organs
• Medical Informatics
• Physiological modelling and Simulation
• Biomedical Imaging
Biomedical Instrumentation
-BiomedicalInstrumentation is the field of
creating instruments that help us to measure,
record and transmit data to or from the body.
Medical instruments can be grouped into two categories namely
clinical and research.
Clinical :
Diagnostic{Invivo and invitro}
➢CT, MRI, Diagnostic Ultrasound, Audiometer, Bronchoscopy, Spirometer,
Sphygmomanometer, etc.
➢ TherapeuticLINAC (Linear accelerator), Therapeutic ultrasound,
Ventilators, Hemodialyzers, Pacemakers, Defibrillators, etc.
➢ RehabilitationWheel chairs, Canes, Crutches, Walkers, Orthotic devices,
etc.
 Objectives
• Information gathering
➢ Measures the natural phenomena

• Diagnosis
➢ Detection & Correction of the malfunction of the system
➢ Troubleshooting equipment

• Evaluation
➢ Ability of a system to meet its requirements
➢ Quality control test

• Monitoring
➢ To obtain periodic information about the process

• Control
➢ To control the operation automatically
Challenges Associated with Physiological
measurement
• Complexity of human system
• Input output relationship is not deterministic
• Many variables are not directly measurable(inferential Measurement)
• Loading effect
• Measurement must be safe and ease
• Environment and user need to be considered
Hence human system forms the integral part of the measurement
system
Man-Instrument system

Generalized Medical Instrumentation system

Problemss encountered in Physiological Measurement
• Inaccesibility of variables to Measurement
Measurement of Glomerular Filtration Rate in the Kidney
➢ Physical size & placement of transducer
➢ Indirect measurement (Substitute variable)

• Variability of data
➢ Physiological variables are not deterministic
➢ Measurement of one person under fixed conditions at one time will not be same at
another time
Contd…
• Lack of Knowledge about interrelationship

➢ Better understanding will help us to use

substitute for indirect variables

• Interaction among physiological system

➢ Stimulation of one part of a given system

affects all other parts of that system.

➢ When one organ is inactive, other organ

take up their function
Contd…
• Effect of the transducer on the measurement
➢ Placement of transduceralters the reading significantly
➢ Ensure the impact of transduceron the measurement is minimal
➢ Ex: Whitecoat Hypertension

• Artifacts
➢ Any component that is extraneous to the measurand.
➢ Random noise, electrical interference, movement of the subject

• Safety Considerations
➢ should not affect the normal functioning of the body
➢ should not cause undue pain, trauma, discomfort, etc.
Man-Instrument system

Generalized Medical Instrumentation system

 Man-Instrument system
• Subject
➢ Human being

• Transducer
➢ converts one form of energy into another.
➢ Here, the measurand may be temperature, flow, pressure, etc.

• Signal Conditioning system

➢ Modifies/changes the output of the transducer

• Display
➢ Information must be perceived by one of man’s senses.
➢ Visual, audible , tactile ,etc.

• Data Transmission
➢ To record the measured information and transmit from one place to another
➢ Graphic pen recorder/ Magnetic tape recorder

• Control Feedback
➢ Feedback loop control the operation of the system in some way.
 Design factors of medical devices
• Range
➢ minimum and maximum values of a quantity that the instrument is designed to measure

• Sensitivity
➢ ratio of the changes in the output of an instrument to a change in the value of the quantity to be measured.
➢ Static sensitivity = infinitesimal change in output / infinitesimal change in input

• Linearity
➢ if the change in output is proportional to the change in the value of the measurand

• Hysteresis
➢ For a given value of Input, the output may be different depending on whether the input is increasing(loading) or
decreasing (unloading)

• Frequency response
➢ Variation in sensitivity over the frequency range of the measurement

• Accuracy
➢ It is the closeness with which an instrument reading approaches the true value of the quantity being measured
Contd…
• Signal to noise ratio
➢ SNR is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power, often expressed in decibel

• Stability
➢ Ability of a system to resume a steady state condition irrespective of the circumstances

• Isolation
➢ No direct electrical connection between the subject and the ground

• Simplicity
➢ Less complexity / human error
 BMI – How different from Instrumentation
❖Minimally Invasive
Less prone to infection
❖Biocompatibility
Grafting, Implants
❖Lightweight
Prosthetic limb
❖Corrosion Resistant
No Oxidation/Reduction process with implants
❖Little Debris
Knee replacement
❖Long Lifetime
Pacemaker batteries
❖Electrical Safety
Isolation from electrical current under any circumstances
❖Bioethics
Computer Modelling, Invitro testing and human volunteers
Cardiovascular system
• Hydraulic system of a body – pump

• Supplies oxygenated blood to an

entire body

• Two types : Systemic & Pulmonary

circulation

• Clinically significant parameters

measured are : Stroke volume,
Cardiac output, Heart rate, BP, etc.
Respiratory system
Description Anatomy of lungs

• Pneumatic system of a body

• Trachea -conducts inhaled air into the

lungs through its tubular branches,
called bronchi.
• Bronchi – Bronchioles- ends up in air
sac called alveolus where gaseous
exchange takes place.
 Breathing Mechanism
Breathing is an active process - requiring the contraction of
skeletal muscles.
The primary muscles of respiration include the external
intercostal muscles (located between the ribs) and the
diaphragm (a sheet of muscle located between the thoracic &
abdominal cavities).

The external intercostal muscles and

diaphragm contract to bring about inspiration:
•Contraction of external intercostal muscles > elevation
of ribs & sternum > increased front- to-back dimension of
thoracic cavity > lowers air pressure in lungs > air moves into
lungs
•Contraction of diaphragm > diaphragm moves downward
>
increases vertical dimension of thoracic cavity > lowers air
pressure in lungs > air moves into lungs

Expiration:
relaxation of external intercostal muscles & diaphragm >
return of diaphragm, ribs, & sternum to resting position >
restores thoracic cavity to preinspiratoryvolume > increases
pressure in lungs > air is exhaled
Lung Volume and capacities
Spirometer
 Definition of Lung Capacities
• Vital Capacity
Maximum volume of gas that can be expelled from the lungs by forceful effort after a maximal inspiration.
VC = TV + ERV +IRV

• Total Lung capacity

Amount of gas contained in the lungs at the end of a maximal inspiration.
TLC = VC+RV

• Inspiratory capacity
Maximum amount of gas that can be inspired after reaching the end expiratory level.
IC = TV + IRV

• Functional residual capacity

Volume of gas remaining in the lungs at the end expiratory level.
FRC = RV + ERV or FRC = TLC - IC
 Definition of Lung Volumes
• Tidal Volume
Volume of gas inspired or expired during each normal, quiet, respiration cycle.

• Inspiratory reserve volume

Extra volume of gas that a person can inspire with maximal effort after reaching the
normal end inspiratory level.

• Expiratory reserve volume

Extra volume of gas that a person can expire with maximal effort beyond the end
expiratory level.

• Residual Volume:
Volume of gas remaining in the lungs at the end of a maximal expiration.
 Nervous system
• The nervous system is a complex network of
nerves and cells that carry messages to and
from the brain and spinal cord to various
parts of the body.

• Functional unit – Neuron

• Main functions

➢ To collect sensory input from the body

and external environment.
➢ To process and interpret the sensory
input.
➢ To respond appropriately to the sensory
input.
 Central Nervous System

Reflex Mechanism

Brain parts and its function

Peripheral Nervous System
 ECG Setup

ECG Waveform
ECG Block Diagram
Lung cancer detection using exhaled breath
• The exhaled breath consists of volatile organic
compounds (VOC) which reflect the health status
of an individual.

• Environmental exposures results in exogenous

compounds and internal metabolic production
results in endogenous compounds, therefore it
proposed to be a useful clinical biomarker for the
undiagnosed disease.

• A screening procedure using sensor-based VOC

detection technique can detect lung cancer whilst
providing maximum comfortability to the users is
taken as main motive behind designing the
product.

• The advantages of our product: Non invasive, No

exposure to radiation, Simple installation, ease of
use and sampling process.
Block Diagram
 Calibration

• Each sensor is calibrated

manually.

• Calibration is done by passing

known concentration of gas.

• Obtained voltage from sensor is

converted into concentration of
gas using calibration curve.

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 Initial stage

• Power supply is designed based on our

requirement.

• Tedlar bags are used to collect the

breath sample which can store it for
almost 8 hours.

• Gas sensing chamber incorporated

with gas sensors with an inlet and
outlet.

• Signal processing unit is designed and

to convert the voltage into PPM.

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 Final stage of Hardware
Gas sensing chamber with
sensors

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•Thank you