2.4 - Implantable MEMS Sensor Platform for Measuring Heart Activity
- Event
- iCCC2026 - iCampus Cottbus Conference
2026-05-05 - 2026-05-07
Cottbus - Band
- Vorträge
- Chapter
- Gesundheit und Sport
- Author(s)
- S. Schäfer, P. Detemple, O. Haverbeck, J. Magomajew, S. Schmitt - Fraunhofer IMM, Mainz, M. Haberbusch, F. Moscato - Medizinische Universität Wien, Wien (Austria)
- Pages
- 59 - 62
- DOI
- 10.5162/iCCC2026/2.4
- ISBN
- 978-3-910600-10-2
- Price
- free
Abstract
Heart transplants usually require the severing of the vagus nerve, which connects the heart muscle to the central nervous system. Consequently, the parasympathetic control of the heart, which is responsible for lowering heart activity during periods of relaxation, is impaired. In addition to limitations in the everyday lives of patients, this causes, for example, a permanently elevated resting heart rate and thus accelerated aging of the tissue. One possible solution for restoring the vagal control is to externally stimulate the severed nerve pathway via an implantable electrode array. The response of the heart muscle to a specific stimulation signal must then be detected and ideally be fed back to the stimulation unit. We report on an implantable sensor platform that is developed for continuous detection of the heart activity. Implanted devices are an attractive alternative to non-invasive measurement methods in terms of reliability and comfort. The MEMS platform has three axially arranged piezoresistive force sensors on a glass substrate, which are encapsulated with a biocompatible material. Ex-vivo tests in a pressure chamber are followed by in-vivo tests on pig hearts, in which cardiac activity is controlled by administering dobutamine. In-vivo stability tests show a reliable measurement signal even after one month and underline the biocompatibility.