Why Piezo Sensors are well suited for use in the Medical Industry

Piezo sensors are one of the product groups we can offer here at Variohm. They have many properties which make them a suitable choice within the medical industry.

Piezo sensors offer unique properties which make them well-suited to the detection of many vital signs in patient monitoring. They can be mounted directly to the skin or mechanically coupled through intervening layers. Some piezo elements can even monitor the human pulse when the device is carried in a pocket of outer clothing.

When a strip of piezo film is stretched, it generates an electrical signal between the upper and lower electrode surfaces which is proportional to the amount of elongation. In many cases, piezoelectric materials are thought of as responding only to pressure but with piezo film, force applied to the cross-section will also generate an amount of stress. This makes Piezo film well suited to medical applications. Piezo film is lightweight, thin, very flexible and does not require external power to function.

Applications for Piezo Sensors within the Medical Industry

·         Pulse Measurement - Piezo sensors are sensitive enough to be used within the medical industry for measuring the pulse of a patient. Sometimes these piezo sensors will be supplied with a self-adhesive side to be bonded directly to the patient’s skin.

·         Sleep Studies - In the past Piezo sensors have also been used in sleep studies to measure the muscle movement of patients in the leg, chest and eyelid to monitor sleep disorders. The piezo film can detect tiny physical signals which make it well suited to this type of application.

·         Anaesthesia effectiveness – the response of a muscle to electrical stimulation can be monitored by Piezo sensors to measure the effectiveness of anaesthesia.

·         Stethoscopes- Another common application for Piezo sensors in the medical industry is within stethoscopes. This is because they are robust and offer high sensitivity.

In conclusion; piezo film sensors offer very high sensitivity and do not need a source of power to be able to function. They can detect very small movements and are small in size. This makes them well suited to many medical applications.

Are you after Piezo sensors for a medical application? Contact us on 01327 351004 or [email protected]we would be more than happy to find a piezo film sensor to suit your needs.