Optimization of Bio-Impedance Techniques-Based Monitoring System for Medical & Industrial Applications

ABSTRACT

At present, Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a simplified, non-invasive, cost-effective, vogue and standard technique to reckon the electrical properties of the interior of a biological tissue by the measurements of voltage and current signals from its boundary. The EIT system, consisting of 16 or 8 or 4 electrodes, is attached to the circumference of an object. A conventional EIT system consists of a precise current source that can generate a high-frequency, low-amplitude current signal (generally in order of mA) that is to be given in two electrodes of the electrode array which can be selected through fast multiplexer switching controlled by a controller. The current injected to these two electrodes produces the voltage drop to other remaining unconnected electrodes which can be measured in terms of induced voltages and this measurement cycle continues by changing the electrode. This designed module provides effective information in terms of relative voltage data to the Personal Computer (PC) equipped with the GUI based on MATLAB for the further analysis through a wired/wireless connection. This algorithm of all functions is related to image reconstruction, including the impedance plethysmography using a MatLab Graphical User Interface (GUI). Also, analysis part has been also done by using the same GUI to construct an image. Several simulation experiments have been performed to evaluate the performance of the proposed EIT system and algorithm. Thus, we conclude the proposed EIT system to improve for better image resolution. The designed EIT system would be useful in industrial and medical applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Electrical impedance tomography
• Finite element method
• Forward problem
• Graphical user interface
• Image reconstruction
• Inverse problem
• Medical monitoring
• Phantom

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ramesh Kumar

Ramesh Kumar was born in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. He received BTech degree in electronics & instrumentation and control engineering from Arya College of Engineering & IT, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India and MTech degree in control and instrumentation engineering from NIT Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He is a research scholar at the Department of Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, and Punjab, India. His research area of interest is instrumentation and control engineering. Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

Sharwan Kumar

Sharwan Kumar received his BE, ME both from Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra, and received his PhD degree on feto-maternal monitoring from IITD, Delhi, India. He has published many research papers in national and international journals/conferences He is presently working as the head of the Department of Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, India. His research areas of interest are physiological and morphological feto-maternal monitoring, medical imaging, biosignals processing and instrumentation, measurement and instrumentation, control systems, physiological control system. Email: [email protected]

A. Sengupta

A Sengupta received his MBBS, MD both from Delhi University, Delhi and received his PhD degree from Centre of Biomed Engineering IITD, Delhi, India. He has published many research papers in national and international journals/conferences. He is presently working as an adjunct professor of biomedical engineering, CBME-IIT/AIIMS, N Delhi, DA-IICT and senior OBGYN consultant in Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. His two broad research interests are in the field of reproductive and vascular bioengineering focusing on high risk obstetrics and cancer and secondly in developing innovative integrated solutions for rapid diffusion and adoption of affordable technology (health, water, energy, livelihood) to reach the unreached and provide quality health care to India's most marginalized population especially women living in the remote rural-tribal areas. Email: [email protected]