|
What are the best integrated circuit (IC) processes,
technologies, and packaging types for medical devices? The answer is as clear "it
depends". Medical designers need to weigh competing requirements such as cost, linearity,
noise, power, and reliability. Is the device implantable or interoperable? How
about ingestible or Internet-enabled? Some packaging technologies support
multiple functions in a single IC. Other medical applications, such as those
that combine low noise and dense digital functions, may be better candidates
for multi-chip modules (MCM).
In
"Bipolar vs. CMOS: Selecting the Right IC for Medical Designs", Karthik Vasanth
provides answers to medical designers' questions about the best IC for the job.
Using a high-performance ultrasound device as an example, he first evaluates analog
performance and concludes that bipolar is better than CMOS. Next, Vasanth turns
to mixed-signal and low-power applications, noting
the requirements of implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers. Finally, he evaluates the potential impact of medical
advances such as measuring physiological signals with subcutaneous sensors.
As
a developer of medical applications, what's your experience with selecting IC
packages?
Source:
EE
Times
| 
Re: The Best ICs for Medical Applications
