The Use of Smart Sensors in Healthcare Applications: Review

Abstract

Sensors have always represented a fundamental component in most systems which have to guarantee a high reliability and huge performances. Industrial world provides a perfect example. During the last years, such instruments have increased their capabilities, thanks to the integration of functionalities which only certain devices had in the past, reaching a level of smartness which has allowed them to enlarge the range of their applications. One of the most interesting field, that has a great potential of development in the future, regards human healthcare (and rehabilitation in particular), which technology is giving a great contribution for. This paper aims to provide a general view of the exploitation of smart sensors in such domain. After having introduced the conceptual schemes which are the basis for the realization of a smart sensor, different typologies are described, which are utilized in implantable devices, wearable instruments and rehabilitation systems, trying to explain why they are the most suitable for certain applications.