1. BIO ELECTRONICS
and Implanted Devices…
Trisha Stephanie C. Cardona

2. What is Bioelectronics?
• BIOlogy + ELECTRONics
• the application of electronic devices to living organisms
for clinical testing, diagnosis and therapy
• the interactions of increased computing
power, advances in prosthetic devices, artificial
implants, and systems that blend electronic and
biological components
Sources: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bioelectronics
http://www.svegritet.se/ethics-bioethics/bioelectronics-and-implanted-devices/

3. Do CYBORGs exist?
• The earlier and more strict definition of Cyborg was
almost always considered as increasing or
enhancing normal capabilities, whereas now the
term can also be applied to those organisms which
use technology to repair or overcome their physical
and mental constraints
• Examples are artificial limbs and hands
Kevin Warwick
1998
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyborg
http://www.motherboard.tv/2010/8/10/the-cyborg-kevin-warwick-is-the-world-s-first-human-robot-
hybrid

4. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
eyes

5. • restore vision to patients with certain forms of retinal
blindness
• this happens when rods and cone degenerate
• but nerve cells that connect the eye to the brain
remains healthy
• zooming in on distant objects
• get useful facts to pop up in your field of view
• surfing the Web
• visual aids for vision-impaired people
• immersive video games
Sources: http://sweetnotsoft.com/goodies/?p=48#more-48
http://www.bostonretinalimplant.org/

6. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
ears

7. • A cellphone implanted in the ear
• six-axis piezoelectric
accelerometer attached to the angle of the
mandible, or the jawbone
• using crystals that create electrical pulses
when they change shape
• on/off switch
• hermetically sealed to prevent water entry
and corrosion
• Uses heat of the skin to power up the
device
Sources: http://sweetnotsoft.com/goodies/?p=48#more-48

8. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
heart

9. AbioCor Artificial Heart
• Sept. 6, 2006 — A Massachusetts company
received federal approval Tuesday to sell up
to 4,000 artificial hearts a year
• would be used only in patients who are
close to death and have no other treatment
options
• tested in only 14 men
• Two died from the operation, and another
never regained consciousness
• The rest survived only an average of five
months, with one exception:
• a man who lived 17 months, until the
mechanical heart wore out.
Sources: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/09/06/artificialheart_hea_zoom0.html?category=health&guid=20060906160030

10. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
lungs

11. BioLung
• artificial lung that can replace the gas
exchange function of a person’s native
lungs during recovery from injury or
illness, or until donor lungs are available for
transplantation.
• currently undergoing testing for FDA
submission.
Sources: http://www.mc3corp.com/case_studies/artificial_lung_bio/

12. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
liver

13. Hepalife’s Bioreactor
• External device
• reduced levels of toxic ammonia by 75% in
fewer than 24 hours
• consists of three basic components:
• (1) a plasma filter, separating the patients
blood into blood plasma and blood cells;
• (2) the bioreactor, which biologically mimics
the liver’s function; and
• (3), the HepaDrive™, a perfusion system for
pumping the patient’s plasma through the
bioreactor while controlling gas supply and
temperature for best possible performance
of the cells.
Sources: http://medgadget.com/2008/02/hepalife_artificial_liver_shows_promise.html

14. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
kidney

15. Hepalife’s Bioreactor
• Kidneys remove metabolic wastes from the
body and regulate fluid volume and
distribution on a continuous, around-the-
clock basis
• Dialysis-on-the-go
• With traditional hemodialysis, patients are
hooked up to a machine for four
hours, three times a week
• provide cleansing and fluid balance on a
continuous basis
Sources: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710153015.htm

16. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
hands

17. i-limb ultra
• vari-grip mode, allowing variable digit-by-
digit grip strength
• Gesture selection allows users to create
custom gestures
• Auto grasp feature to prevent
objects slipping
• Hand automatically moves to a natural
position after period of inactivity
• Low battery warning audio signal
Sources: http://www.touchbionics.com/products/active-prostheses/i-limb-ultra/

18. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
penis

19. Remote controllable penile prosthetic
system
• first fluid chamber means located adjacent a
distal end of said prosthesis, and being
inflatable with pressurizing fluid
• second fluid chamber means for selectively
storing fluid and located adjacent a proximal
end of said prosthesis opposite said first
fluid chamber means
Electronic Condoms
• 1995 paten image
• Inflatable vibrating strip to make contact
with the clitoris
• Inflatable vibrationg ring to make contact
with vaginal walls
• Uses air or fluid
• Actuated elictrically
• Actuated by temperature sensitive material
Sources: http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/5437605.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5377692.pdf

20. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…
foot

21. Proprio Foot
• Capable of independent thought
• Transforms the approach to stairs and
slopes, as well as level-ground walking.
• Reacts immediately, automatically and
naturally.
Sources: http://ossur.com/?PageID=12704

22. Bioelectronics and implanted devices…