Smart instruments: Wireless technology invades the operating room

Abstract

Wireless medical instruments have revolutionized the medical industry for numerous applications including diagnostics, surgical, in vivo, remote patient monitoring, and indoor positioning. The current research trend is to integrate even more biosensors, electronics, and wireless technologies into low power, small form factor systems that can be worn or directly implanted into patients. Diagnostic monitoring systems can provide non-invasive in vivo tracking and real-time diagnosing capabilities. Smart surgical tools provide wireless sensing and tracking for computer assisted surgery and seamless use intraoperatively. Wireless systems will continue to play an integral role in the future of healthcare technology and hospital infrastructure including various types of wireless sensors networks (body area networks, personal area networks) and devices being deployed inside the hospital and operating room and extended into remote locations including the patient's home and workplace.