Biomedical telemetry: Today's opportunities and challenges

Biomedical telemetry is used today to communication with cardiac devices, insulin pumps, and a few other implantable devices that are on the order of 1–2″ in diameter. Future systems promise advanced communication with cardiac, optical, neurological and auditory devices that are on the order of a centimeter in dimension. Miniaturized antennas and inductive coupling systems provide the radio interface between air and the implantable device. New materials and methods allow miniaturized communication systems to be seamlessly integrated within the medical device itself. This paper describes recent advances in biotelemetry, the challenges faced today, and opportunities for the future.