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Medical Electronic Device Realization Center

• Leadership: Charles Sodini, Co-Director
  Brian Anthony, Co-Director
  Joel Voldman, Co-Director

The vision of the Medical Electronic Device Research Center (MEDRC) is to transform the medical electronic device industry: to revolutionize medical diagnostics and treatments, bringing health care directly to the individual; and to create enabling technology for the future information-driven healthcare system. Specific areas that show promise are wearable or minimally invasive monitoring devices, medical imaging, laboratory instrumentation, and the data communication from these devices and instruments to healthcare providers and caregivers.

The MEDRC establishes a partnership between the microelectronics industry, the medical devices industry, medical professionals, and MIT to collaboratively achieve improvements in the cost and performance of medical electronic devices similar to those that have occurred in personal computers, communication devices and consumer electronics. The Medical Electronic Device Realization Center (MEDRC) was established to better connect industry, academia, and physicians.  In the MEDRC, research activities are jointly defined by faculty, physicians and clinicians, and industrial partners.  A visiting scientist from a project’s sponsoring company is present at MIT.  Ultimately this individual is the champion that helps translate the technology back to the company for commercialization and provide the industrial viewpoint in the realization of the technology.    We foster the creation of prototype devices and intellectual property in the field of medical electronic systems and serve as a catalyst for the successful deployment of innovative healthcare technology at an affordable price.

MEDRC projects have the advantage of insight from the technology arena, the medical arena, and the business arena, thus significantly increasing the chances that their devices will fulfill a real healthcare need as well as be profitable for companies to ensure a stable supply of the new devices.  With a new trend toward increased healthcare quality, disease prevention, and cost-effectiveness, such a comprehensive perspective is crucial.

The collective aim of the MEDRC is to revolutionize medical diagnostics and treatments, bringing health care directly to the individual, and creating technology for the future of information-driven healthcare.   We focus on areas of medical devices that are enabled and enhanced by electronics and computation – imaging, point-of-care devices, diagnostics and therapeutic instrumentation, ambulatory physiological monitors, etc.

The MEDRC serves as a focal point for large business, for venture-funded startups, and for the medical community. The Center fosters the creation of prototype devices and intellectual property and aims to serve as the catalyst for the deployment of innovative healthcare technology that will reduce the cost of healthcare in both the developed and developing world. Current members are Analog Devices, GE Global Research/Healthcare, and Maxim Integrated Products.

An Electronically Steered, Wearable Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound System

• Authors: S. Pietrangelo, C. G. Sodini, H.-S. Lee
• Sponsorship: MIT Lincoln Laboratory Fellowship, MEDRC

The central objective of critical care for patients affected by neurotrauma, cerebrovascular accident (i.e., stroke), and other neurovascular pathologies is to monitor patient state and provide suitable medical intervention to mitigate secondary injury and aid in recovery^[1].  While several non-invasive cerebrovascular diagnostic modalities exist, the use of transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography is highly compelling for certain diagnostic needs due to its safety in prolonged studies, high temporal resolution, and relative portability.  Despite a growing list of potential diagnostic applications, several constraints – notably operator-dependent measurement results and the need for manual vessel location – have generally confined the use of TCD ultrasound to highly specific clinical environments (e.g., neurocritical care units and vascular laboratories).

The system architecture shown in Figure 1 employs multi-channel transceiver electronics and a two-dimensional transducer array to enable steering of the ultrasound beam.  Electronic beam steering allows for algorithmic vessel location, thereby obviating the need for manual transducer alignment and operator expertise.  Figure 2 illustrates a conceptual TCD system for wearable, autonomous monitoring of cerebrovascular state.



Figure 1: Multi-channel TCD ultrasound system hardware block diagram.



Figure 2: Concept of a wearable TCD monitoring system.




1. M. R. Bullock and J. T. Povlishock, Eds., “Guidelines for the management of severe traumatic brain injury,” Journal of Neurotrauma, vol. 24, Supplement 1, 2007. [↩]

A Wearable Vital-signs Monitor at the Ear

• Authors: E. Winokur, D. He, C. Sodini
• Sponsorship: MEDRC, NSERC Fellowship

Vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygenation, cardiac output, and respiratory rate are necessary in determining the overall health of a patient. Continuous monitoring of these vital signs can help healthcare workers assess the wearer’s overall state of health and identify risks for cardiovascular diseases^[1].

We propose the site behind the ear as a location for an integrated wearable vital signs monitor^[2]. This location offers physiological signals such as the electrocardiogram (ECG), the photoplethysmogram (PPG), and the ballistocardiogram (BCG). The ECG measures the electrical activity from the heart and offers heart rate information. The PPG measures the blood volume and color under the skin using optical illumination. The PPG offers information such as continuous heart rate and blood oxygenation. The BCG measures the body’s mechanical reaction to the blood expelled by the heart and also provides the heart rate.

Using the peak timing data from BCG and PPG, mean arterial blood pressure can be measured^[3]. Figure 1 compares the continuous mean arterial blood pressure measured from a Portapres finger-cuff with the continuous blood pressure measurement from the vital signs monitor while a test subject performed a Valsalva maneuver.

The device is designed to use the ear as a discreet and a natural anchor that reduces device visibility and the need for skin adhesives. A photo of our prototype device is shown in Figure 2. While the prototype currently uses off-the-shelf components, custom integrated circuits are being designed to replace those components to significantly decrease the device’s size and power consumption.



Figure 1: A comparison of mean arterial blood pressure measured by a Portapres finger-cuff (blue) and mean arterial blood pressure derived from peak timing information of the vital signs monitor (green) during a Valsalva maneuver.



Figure 2: Left – The vital signs monitor being worn at the ear with ECG electrodes attached. Center – The wearable vital signs monitor. Right – A PC USB wireless receiver.




1. S. D. Pierdomenico, M. Di Nicola, A. L. Esposito, R. Di Mascio, E. Ballone, D. Lapenna, and F. Cuccurullo, “Prognostic value of different indices of blood pressure variability in hypertensive patients,” American Journal of Hypertension, pp. 842-847, June 2009. [↩]
2. D. He, E. S. Winokur, T. Heldt, and C. G. Sodini, “The ear as a location for wearable vital signs monitoring,” IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference, pp. 6389-6392, Sept. 2010. [↩]
3. E. S. Winokur, D. He, and C. G. Sodini, “A Wearable Vital Signs Monitor at the Ear for Continuous Heart Rate and Pulse Transit Time Measurements,” IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference, pp. 2724-2727, Aug. 2012. [↩]