Determination of vessel wall dynamics by optical microsensors

Lock-in amplification for implantable multiwavelength pulse oximeters

Standard as well as multiwavelength pulse oximetry as established methods for measuring blood oxygen saturation or fractions of dyshemoglobins suffer from different kinds of interference and noise. Employing lock-in technique as a read-out approach for multiwavelength pulse oximetry is proposed here and strongly decreases such signal disturbance. An analog lock-in amplifier was designed to modulate multiple LEDs simultaneously and to separate the signals detected by a single photodiode. In vivo measurements show an improved signal-to-noise ratio of photoplethysmographic signals and a suppression of interference by means of the lock-in approach. This allows the detection of higher order overtones and, therefore, more detailed data for pulse wave analysis, especially for implantable sensors directly applied at arteries.

Implantable impedance plethysmography

We demonstrate by theory, as well as by ex vivo and in vivo measurements that impedance plethysmography, applied extravascularly directly on large arteries, is a viable method for monitoring various cardiovascular parameters, such as blood pressure, with high accuracy. The sensor is designed as an implant to monitor cardiac events and arteriosclerotic progression over the long term.