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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2025) | Viewed by 11896

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Prof. Dr. Dong Ming

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Guest Editor

Medical College, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Interests: neural engineering; rehabilitation engineering; biomedical instrumentation, and signal/image processing; brain–computer interface; functional electrical stimulation; gait analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shuang Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Medical College, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
Interests: intelligent medical sensing; smartphone-based biosensors; wearable monitoring; visual detection; POCT
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Intelligent medical sensors are widely used in auxiliary medical equipment. The intelligent medical sensor is gradually replacing traditional medical diagnosis technology with the advantages of a small size, cost-effectiveness, rapidity, specificity, and sensitivity. With the development of advanced technologies such as nanomaterials, smartphones, and the Internet of Things, diagnosis technology based on medical sensors has broad prospects. In addition, different types of intelligent medical sensors, such as electrochemical sensors, optical sensors, piezoelectric sensors, and Internet of Things sensors, are also worth further research. In the future, how to derive more intelligent, accurate, and modal medical sensors will be of great interest to researchers, but this will be extremely challenging.

Prof. Dr. Dong Ming
Dr. Shuang Li
Guest Editors

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Keywords

machine learning
artificial intelligence
telemedicine
physiological signal monitoring
in vitro or in vivo detection
portable or wearable sensors
flexible sensor
implantable biosensors
IoT
wireless connection
organ-on-chip

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Proxies for Heart Rate Variability as a Global Tool to Assess and Monitor Autonomic Dysregulation in Fibromyalgia and Disease-Related Impairments

by Emanuella Ladisa, Chiara Abbatantuono, Elena Ammendola, Giusy Tancredi, Marianna Delussi, Giulia Paparella, Livio Clemente, Annalisa Di Dio, Antonio Federici and Marina de Tommaso

Sensors 2025, 25(8), 2618; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25082618 - 21 Apr 2025

Viewed by 199

Abstract

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) provides both linear and nonlinear autonomic proxies that can be informative of health status in fibromyalgia (FM), where sympatho-vagal abnormalities are common. This retrospective observational study aims to: 1. detect differences in correlation dimension (D2) between FM patients and healthy controls (HCs); 2. correlate D2 with standard HRV parameters; 3. correlate the degree of HRV changes using a global composite parameter called HRV grade, derived from three linear indices (SDNN = intervals between normal sinus beats; RMSSD = mean square of successive differences; total power), with FM clinical outcomes; 4. correlate all linear and nonlinear HRV parameters with clinical variables in patients. Methods: N = 85 patients were considered for the analysis and compared to 35 healthy subjects. According to standard diagnostic protocol, they underwent a systematic HRV protocol with a 5-min paced breathing task. Disease duration, pain intensity, mood, sleep, fatigue, and quality of life were assessed. Non-parametric tests for independent samples and pairwise correlations were performed using JMP (all p < 0.001). Results: Mann-Whitney U found a significant difference in D2 values between FM patients and HCs (p < 0.001). In patients, D2 was associated with all HRV standard indices (all p < 0.001) and FM impairment (FIQ = −0.4567; p < 0.001). HRV grade was also associated with FM impairment (FIQ = 0.5058; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Combining different HRV measurements may help understand the correlates of autonomic dysregulation in FM. Specifically, clinical protocols could benefit from the inclusion and validation of D2 and HRV parameters to target FM severity and related dysautonomia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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17 pages, 3305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Diagnostic Validity of Torsobarography in Scoliosis

by Nico Stecher, Lea Richter, Arkadiusz Łukasz Żurawski, Andreas Heinke, Maximilian Robert Harder, Thurid Jochim, Paula Schumann, Wojciech Piotr Kiebzak and Hagen Malberg

Sensors 2025, 25(8), 2485; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25082485 - 15 Apr 2025

Viewed by 308

Abstract

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is treated with various forms of conservative care or surgery, depending on the degree of severity. When AIS is detected early, it can be monitored and initially treated with reduced invasiveness to prevent further progression. AIS manifests itself through deformations of the trunk, which are mostly identified as asymmetries in manual clinical examination. Torsobarography is a new pressure-based surface topographic system for posture analysis and evaluates such associated morphologic asymmetries. The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic validity of torsobarography by examining correlation of extracted torsobarographic indices with the Cobb angle and its ability to differentiate between different severities of scoliosis: no scoliosis, mild scoliosis, and moderate scoliosis. A total of 87 subjects (51 females and 36 males) were examined with torsobarography. Six torsobarographic indices were calculated for all subjects: torsobarography angle (TBA), sagittal imbalance index (SII), torso asymmetry index (TAI), shoulder asymmetry angle (SAA), waist asymmetry angle (WAA), and pelvis asymmetry Angle (PAA). These indices were correlated with the Cobb angle, and the differences between severities were statistically analyzed. Three out of six indices (TBA, TAI, and WAA) were able to significantly distinguish between mild and moderate scoliosis. Additionally, those indices showed moderate correlation (

ρ

= 0.37–0.50) with the Cobb angle measurements. The WAA was the only statistically significant index capable of differentiating between no scoliosis and moderate scoliosis. This study is the first to demonstrate that torsobarography can distinguish between different severities of scoliosis and thus identify a scoliotic deformity that requires bracing over monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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17 pages, 12188 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wearable and Thermal Drift-Compensated Monitoring System Based on Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors for a 3D-Printed Foot Prosthesis

by Sara Del Chicca, Gennaro Rollo, Andrea Sorrentino, Emanuele Gruppioni, Marco Tarabini and Paola Saccomandi

Sensors 2025, 25(3), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25030885 - 31 Jan 2025

Viewed by 835

Abstract

Monitoring foot prostheses is essential, as their performance impacts users’ daily lives. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors represent a gold standard in monitoring applications, but traditional optoelectronic units are too cumbersome for wearable applications. This research addresses this issue by using a lightweight and compact optoelectronic unit and developing a compensation algorithm to overcome the signal drift phenomena caused by the light source instability. The proposed method uses an FBG as a reference to provide the algorithm with information on the signals drift. The developed algorithm is based on the assumptions of linearity among drift in different detection channels and the absence of drift at the initial time instant. The compensation variable was experimentally identified and validated. Experimental validation through temperature tests showed the algorithm reduces the drift error by 60%. Finally, mechanical tests were conducted on a foot prosthesis equipped with two FBGs: one used as a reference and the other for strain sensing. An electrical strain gauge was used to validate the FBG-based sensing system. The results of the mechanical tests indicate the possiblity to monitor a foot prosthesis using FBGs. The FBG and strain gauge measurements comparison aligns with previous studies where high-performance optoelectronic units were used. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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16 pages, 5513 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Real-Time Threshold Algorithm for Closed-Loop Epilepsy Detection and Stimulation System

by Liang-Hung Wang, Zhen-Nan Zhang, Chao-Xin Xie, Hao Jiang, Tao Yang, Qi-Peng Ran, Ming-Hui Fan, I-Chun Kuo, Zne-Jung Lee, Jian-Bo Chen, Tsung-Yi Chen, Shih-Lun Chen and Patricia Angela R. Abu

Sensors 2025, 25(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25010033 - 24 Dec 2024

Viewed by 925

Abstract

Epilepsy, as a common brain disease, causes great pain and stress to patients around the world. At present, the main treatment methods are drug, surgical, and electrical stimulation therapies. Electrical stimulation has recently emerged as an alternative treatment for reducing symptomatic seizures. This study proposes a novel closed-loop epilepsy detection system and stimulation control chip. A time-domain detection algorithm based on amplitude, slope, line length, and signal energy characteristics is introduced. A new threshold calculation method is proposed; that is, the threshold is updated by means of the mean and standard deviation of four consecutive eigenvalues through parameter combination. Once a seizure is detected, the system begins to control the stimulation of a two-phase pulse current with an amplitude and frequency of 34 μA and 200 Hz, respectively. The system is physically designed on the basis of the UMC 55 nm process and verified by a field programmable gate array verification board. This research is conducted through innovative algorithms to reduce power consumption and the area of the circuit. It can maintain a high accuracy of more than 90% and perform seizure detection every 64 ms. It is expected to provide a new treatment for patients with epilepsy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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17 pages, 2441 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Motor Strategy and Neuromuscular Control During Balance Tasks in People with a Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture: A Preliminary and Exploratory Study

by Diana Salas-Gómez, David Barbado, Pascual Sánchez-Juan, María Isabel Pérez-Núñez, Esther Laguna-Bercero, Saray Lantarón-Juarez and Mario Fernandez-Gorgojo

Sensors 2024, 24(21), 6798; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24216798 - 23 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1268

Abstract

Ankle fractures can lead to issues such as limited dorsiflexion, strength deficits, swelling, stiffness, balance disorders, and functional limitations, which complicate daily activities. This study aimed to describe neuromuscular adaptations at 6 and 12 months post-surgery during static and dynamic balance tasks, specifically using the Y-Balance Test (YBT). Additionally, the relationship between neuromuscular patterns, balance, and musculoskeletal deficits was evaluated. In 21 participants (14 at 6 months and 21 at 12 months) with bimalleolar fractures, hip strength, ankle dorsiflexion, ankle functionality, and static and dynamic balance were assessed using electromyography of five lower limb muscles (tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, lateral gastrocnemius, biceps femoris, and gluteus medius). A significant interaction effect (limb × proximal [hip]—distal [ankle] muscle) (F = 30.806, p < 0.001) was observed in the anterior direction of the Y-Balance Test (YBT_A) at 6 months post-surgery. During the YBT_A and YBT posteromedial (YBT_PM), it was found that a lower dorsiflexion range of movement was associated specifically at 6 months with greater activation of the lateral gastrocnemius. However, these differences tended to diminish by 12 months. These findings suggest that neuromuscular patterns differ between operated and non-operated limbs during the YBT_A at 6 months post-surgery. The Y-Balance Test, particularly its anterior direction, effectively highlighted these neuromuscular changes. This is a preliminary study; further research is needed to explore these findings in depth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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18 pages, 597 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Physical Demands and Player Performance in Professional Female Basketball Players Using Inertial Movement Units

by Javier Espasa-Labrador, Carlos Martínez-Rubio, José María Oliva-Lozano, Julio Calleja-González, Marta Carrasco-Marginet and Azahara Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe

Sensors 2024, 24(19), 6365; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24196365 - 30 Sep 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1722

Abstract

Load monitoring has been identified as a valuable tool for optimizing training planning and minimizing injury risk. This study’s aim was divided into two main objectives: (1) to describe the physical demands during official competition through IMU (inertial movement unit) metrics and (2) to investigate the relationship between basketball statistics and these physical demands. Twelve female highly trained basketballers (26.5 ± 5.3 years, 180 ± 7.1 cm, and 73.6 ± 10.3 kg) were monitored during four official games. Our results indicate that games with more frequent possession changes, particularly those driven by steals and turnovers, exhibit higher physical demands. Additionally, longer game durations were associated with longer recovery time while maintaining similar active time and physical load. Players who assume prominent shooting roles face greater conditional demands, such as increased jumps and impacts, even with equal playing time. These findings suggest that IMUs provide valuable insights into high-intensity actions and patterns, indicating a direct association between physical load and player performance in professional female basketball. This study also highlights the potential for professionals to better manage workload and understand player demands using these insights, even in the absence of in-game sensor data. Our research underscores the importance of contextual analysis in sports performance studies, encouraging future investigations into game phases and their specific physical demands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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14 pages, 5013 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selective Cellular Uptake and Druggability Efficacy through Functionalized Chitosan-Conjugated Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) Dendrimers

by Ye Hu, Jian Chen and Wenyan Hu

Sensors 2024, 24(15), 4853; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24154853 - 26 Jul 2024

Viewed by 1278

Abstract

Nanotechnology has ushered in significant advancements in drug design, revolutionizing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases. The strategic utilization of nanotechnology to enhance drug loading, delivery, and release has garnered increasing attention, leveraging the enhanced physical and chemical properties offered by these systems. Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers have been pivotal in drug delivery, yet there is room for further enhancement. In this study, we conjugated PAMAM dendrimers with chitosan (CS) to augment cellular internalization in tumor cells. Specifically, doxorubicin (DOX) was initially loaded into PAMAM dendrimers to form DOX-loaded PAMAM (DOX@PAMAM) complexes via intermolecular forces. Subsequently, CS was linked onto the DOX-loaded PAMAM dendrimers to yield CS-conjugated PAMAM loaded with DOX (DOX@CS@PAMAM) through glutaraldehyde crosslinking via the Schiff base reaction. The resultant DOX@CS@PAMAM complexes were comprehensively characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Notably, while the drug release profile of DOX@CS@PAMAM in acidic environments was inferior to that of DOX@PAMAM, DOX@CS@PAMAM demonstrated effective acid-responsive drug release, with a cumulative release of 70% within 25 h attributed to the imine linkage. Most importantly, DOX@CS@PAMAM exhibited significant selective cellular internalization rates and antitumor efficacy compared to DOX@PAMAM, as validated through cell viability assays, fluorescence imaging, and flow cytometry analysis. In summary, DOX@CS@PAMAM demonstrated superior antitumor effects compared to unconjugated PAMAM dendrimers, thereby broadening the scope of dendrimer-based nanomedicines with enhanced therapeutic efficacy and promising applications in cancer therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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17 pages, 3079 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Independent Component Analysis and Nelder–Mead Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm in Non-Contact Blood Pressure Estimation

by Te-Jen Su, Wei-Hong Lin, Qian-Yi Zhuang, Ya-Chung Hung, Wen-Rong Yang, Bo-Jun He and Shih-Ming Wang

Sensors 2024, 24(11), 3544; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24113544 - 30 May 2024

Viewed by 932

Abstract

In recent years, hypertension has become one of the leading causes of illness and death worldwide. Changes in lifestyle among the population have led to an increasing prevalence of hypertension. This study proposes a non-contact blood pressure estimation method that allows patients to conveniently monitor their blood pressure values. By utilizing a webcam to track facial features and the region of interest (ROI) for obtaining forehead images, independent component analysis (ICA) is employed to eliminate artifact signals. Subsequently, physiological parameters are calculated using the principle of optical wave reflection. The Nelder–Mead (NM) simplex method is combined with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to optimize the empirical parameters, thus enhancing computational efficiency and accurately determining the optimal solution for blood pressure estimation. The influences of light intensity and camera distance on the experimental results are also discussed. Furthermore, the measurement time is only 10 s. The superior accuracy and efficiency of the proposed methodology are demonstrated by comparing them with those in other published literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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21 pages, 5069 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Sensing and Judgment Control System for Temperature Maintenance for Optimal Treatment in Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Surgery

by Tae-Hyeon Lee, Kicheol Yoon, Sangyun Lee, Woong Rak Choi and Kwang Gi Kim

Sensors 2024, 24(2), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24020596 - 17 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1542

Abstract

For tumors wherein cancer cells remain in the tissue after colorectal cancer surgery, a hyperthermic anticancer agent is injected into the abdominal cavity to necrotize the remaining cancer cells with heat using a hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy system. However, during circulation, the processing temperature is out of range and the processing result is deteriorated. This paper proposes a look-up table (LUT) module design method that can stably maintain the processing temperature range during circulation via feedback. If the temperature decreases or increases, the LUT transmits a command signal to the heat exchanger to reduce or increase heat input, thereby maintaining the treatment temperature range. The command signal for increasing and decreasing heat input is T_p and T_a, respectively. The command signal for the treatment temperature range is T_s. If drug temperatures below 41 and above 43 °C are input to the LUT, it sends a T_p or T_a signal to the heat exchanger to increase or decrease the input heat, respectively. If the drug’s temperature is 41–43 °C, the LUT generates a T_s signal and proceeds with the treatment. The proposed system can automatically control drug temperature using temperature feedback to ensure rapid, accurate, and safe treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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13 pages, 2115 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differences in EEG Event-Related Potentials during Dual Task in Parkinson’s Disease Carriers and Non-Carriers of the G2019S-LRRK2 Mutation

by Eden Shkury, Shani Danziger-Schragenheim, Zoya Katzir, Yael Ezra, Nir Giladi, Anat Mirelman and Inbal Maidan

Sensors 2023, 23(19), 8266; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23198266 - 6 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1817

Abstract

Background: The G2019S-LRRK2 gene mutation is a common cause of hereditary Parkinson’s disease (PD), associated with a higher frequency of the postural instability gait difficulty (PIGD) motor phenotype yet with preserved cognition. This study investigated neurophysiological changes during motor and cognitive tasks in PD patients with and without the G2019S-LRRK2 mutation. Methods: 33 iPD patients and 22 LRRK2-PD patients performed the visual Go/NoGo task (VGNG) during sitting (single-task) and walking (dual-task) while wearing a 64-channel EEG cap. Event-related potentials (ERP) from Fz and Pz, specifically N200 and P300, were extracted and analyzed to quantify brain activity patterns. Results: The LRRK2-PD group performed better in the VGNG than the iPD group (group*task; p = 0.05). During Go, the iPD group showed reduced N2 amplitude and prolonged N2 latency during walking, whereas the LRRK2-PD group showed only shorter latency (group*task p = 0.027). During NoGo, opposite patterns emerged; the iPD group showed reduced N2 and increased P3 amplitudes during walking while the LRRK2-PD group demonstrated increased N2 and reduced P3 (N2: group*task, p = 0.010, P3: group*task, p = 0.012). Conclusions: The LRRK2-PD group showed efficient early cognitive processes, reflected by N2, resulting in greater neural synchronization and prominent ERPs. These processes are possibly the underlying mechanisms for the observed better cognitive performance as compared to the iPD group. As such, future applications of intelligent medical sensing should be capable of capturing these electrophysiological patterns in order to enhance motor–cognitive functions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Medical Sensors and Applications)

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