Integrated electron devices in medicine

Due to their revolutionary rate of advance for nearly two decades, integrated electron devices can be applied in medical instruments with outstanding advantages to the quality and availability of health care. To provide an overview of activities in this field, various types of medical electronic instruments are classified in a matrix format according to their orientation relative to the patient and the generic function which they perform. Explicit examples which illustrate the utility of custom integrated electron devices are: i) totally implantable blood flow telemetry for use in research animals, ii) noninvasive ultrasonic imaging systems for diagnostic and monitoring functions, and iii) a prosthetic optical-to-tactile reading aid for the blind.