LAUSR

Orthopedic implants are medical devices which are surgically implanted inside the human body and widely used for replacing missing joints and bones or restoring function of a damaged structure. Examples include orthopedic implants for joint replacement (hip, elbow, knee, shoulder, etc.), implants that treat fractures (ulna, femur, etc.), and implants for fixation of the spine. Recent advances in wireless sensors and medical telemetry are promising new and hitherto unexplored opportunities in orthopedic implants. This implies miniature unobtrusive sensors that are implanted along with the orthopedic device and used to wirelessly communicate information to exterior monitoring/control equipment. This information may be related to the status of the medical device itself and/or the health status of the surrounding biological tissues. This paper provides a review of orthopedic implants with wireless communication capabilities. Example applications reported to date are discussed, along with challenges raised (biocompatibility, wireless interface, and powering), and future directions.