Ting-Wei Wang, PhD | National Tsing Hua University / Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences;
Competition Sponsor: Academia Sinica
Awardee Year: 2023
Carotid artery stenosis and stiffness represent one of the most hazardous forms of vascular hemodynamic issues, capable of triggering life-threatening strokes. Due to the fact that carotid artery stenosis and stiffness are chronic vascular diseases that may not necessarily exhibit symptoms in the early phase, routine monitoring and assessment of these conditions through carotid ultrasonography are widely adopted in clinical practice to achieve early diagnosis and prevention. However, carotid ultrasonography is a large and intricately operated medical device, and it lacks the capability for continuous real-time monitoring of carotid artery health. Late detection of severe carotid artery stenosis or hardening could result in strokes and endanger patient safety. To this end, we aim to develop a neck patch carotid sensor utilizing electromagnetic induction-based technology to measure variations in electrical parameters across multiple sites along the carotid artery, thus distinguishing the lesion severity and location of stenosis and stiffness. The key innovation lies in the introduction of electrodeless electromagnetic induction-based sensing technology, enabling the penetration of magnetic fields into the deeper layers beneath the skin to extract accurate physiological signals. In contrast to conventional carotid ultrasound, the proposed neck patch electromagnetic induction-based sensor eliminates the need for electrode preparation, gel application, and specialized operation, offering a solution for real-time monitoring of carotid stenosis and stiffness for stroke prevention. This transformative proposition holds the potential to significantly advance the realms of intelligent wearable technology, personalized medicine, and preventive care within the domain of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular healthcare.