Biomedical Instrumentation

Abstract

Biomedical instrumentation is widely used in healthcare to monitor patients, diagnose and treat various pathologies, and advance biomedical engineering research. This chapter covers the measurement of biopotentials for diagnosis, including the electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, electrocorticogram, electromyogram, electroneurogram, electrogastrogram, action potential, electroretinogram, and electro-oculogram. Pulse oximeters are also covered along with important therapeutic devices such as the artificial cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, cochlear implant, lithotripsy, ventilator, anesthesia machine, heart-lung machine, infant incubator, electrosurgery, and tissue ablation. The chapter concludes by covering electrical safety, providing future subjects for research such as a blood glucose sensor, and a permanently implanted intracranial pressure sensor, and describing the major organizations that promote the field of Biomedical Instrumentation.