Medical electronics include diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, computer systems for electronic health records, and mobile communication devices. Home health care uses glucose testing devices and blood pressure monitors. RFID technology is used in pacemakers and hearing aids, and imaging systems include MRI and CT scanners. Nanotechnology is advancing the development of nanobots for imaging and surgical procedures. ECG, EEG, and EMG studies use bioelectrical signals. Electronics are ubiquitous in the medical industry.
There are many different types of medical electronics, ranging from small portable devices to large medical imaging devices and systems. These products are used in diagnostic and therapeutic and clinical laboratory equipment. In addition to standalone devices, medical electronics can also include computer systems that manage electronic health records and mobile communication devices that run medical applications. Medical electronics used in procedures and for patient monitoring constitute an additional category.
Home health care uses a variety of medical electronic devices, such as glucose testing devices and blood pressure monitors. Wearable and wireless technologies are evolving to take advantage of smaller and more elaborate electronic components as they become available. Prosthetics have also started incorporating electronic parts into their designs.
Some devices use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Chips have been developed that store information for purposes such as monitoring patient surgery specifications to avoid errors. RFID is also used in pacemakers and hearing aids. Healthcare facilities sometimes use RFID-enabled equipment to help track and manage inventory.
Imaging systems are among the largest types of medical electronics, both physically and as a category. The technology can use radar, as in an ultrasound machine, projection radiology, or a variety of similar means. Examples of devices in this category include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, computed topography (CT) scanners, and mammography machines.
Various medical instruments come under another of the types of medical electronics. Digital thermometers, digital stethoscopes, and electronic endoscopes are some great examples. Centrifuge systems and most medical test equipment will inevitably contain electronic components.
Nanotechnology is perhaps the most innovative of the medical electronics categories. Advances have been made that enable the development of nanobots capable of performing imaging or surgical procedures. Microchips, semiconductors and the like will continue to play a huge role in the growth and expansion of electronic usage in the medical industry. As of 2011, electronic components have achieved near ubiquity in medical devices and systems.
Electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), and electromyogram (EMG) studies are among the best-known types of medical electronics. These studies use bioelectrical signals to record activity associated with the heart, brain, and skeletal muscles, respectively. Electronics are practically everywhere in the medical industry, from a hospital bed to a digitized bathroom scale. Covering all types and examples of medical electronics is not feasible due to the ever-changing and evolving landscapes of both technology and the medical industry.
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