Design and fabrication of a miniaturized three-axis accelerometer for measuring heart wall motion

This paper presents the design and fabrication of a silicon-based miniaturized piezoresistive three-axis accelerometer. By monitoring heart wall motion, this sensor can detect potential regional cardiac ischemia in patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. Preliminary results that have been obtained from animal studies demonstrate that the use of a commercial sensor can be applied to this application. However, it is also demonstrated that the design and manufacturing of a dedicated sensor is required for this specific application. This article explains the design requirements and technology processes used to develop such a sensor.