bio-electronic ics and systems: how is technology change creating new opportunities in them?
DESCRIPTION
These slides discuss how reductions in the feature sizes (i.e., scaling) of bio-electronic chips have and are still leading to the emergence of better bio-electronic products. Like the reductions in the feature sizes of transistors and metal lines on ICs, bio-electronic chips benefit from reductions in the feature sizes of micro-fluidic channels and thus these bio-electronic chips are experiencing exponential improvements in performance and cost. The best example of these exponential improvements can be found in the falling cost of sequencing and synthesizing DNA. However, similar improvements are also being experienced in bio-electronic applications such as point-of-care diagnostics, drug delivery, and chips embedded in clothing or bodies and these improvements will continue to create entrepreneurial opportunities. These slides are based on a forthcoming book entitled “Technology Change and the Rise of New Industries and they are the fourth session in a course entitled “Analyzing Hi-Tech Opportunities.”TRANSCRIPT
A/Prof Jeffrey Funk
Division of Engineering and Technology Management
National University of Singapore
For information on other technologies, see http://www.slideshare.net/Funk98/presentations
Objectives
What are the important dimensions of performance for bio-electronics including bio-electronic ICs?
What are the rates of improvement?
What drives these rapid rates of improvement?
Will these improvements continue?
What kinds of new electronic systems will likely emerge from the improvements in bio-electronics?
What does this tell us about the future?
Session Technology
1 Objectives and overview of course
2 Two types of improvements: 1) Creating materials that
better exploit physical phenomena; 2) Geometrical scaling
4 Semiconductors, ICs, electronic systems
5 MEMS and Bio-electronic ICs
6 Nanotechnology, DNA sequencing
7 Superconductivity and solar cells
8 Lighting, laser diodes, and Displays
9 Human-computer interfaces (also roll-to roll printing)
10 Telecommunications and Internet
11 3D printing and energy storage
This is Fifth Session of MT5009
As Noted in Previous Session, Two main mechanisms for improvements
Creating materials (and their associated processes) that better exploit physical phenomenon
Geometrical scaling
Increases in scale
Reductions in scale
Some technologies directly experience improvements while others indirectly experience them through improvements in “components”
A summary of these ideas can be found in
1) forthcoming paper in California Management Review, What Drives Exponential Improvements?
2) book from Stanford University Press, Technology Change and the Rise of New Industries
Both are Relevant to Bio-Electronics
Creating materials (and their associated processes) that better exploit physical phenomenon Creating appropriate materials for specific application
Geometrical scaling Increases in scale: larger wafers/production equipment
Reductions in scale: small feature sizes for bio-electronic ICs. This is most important driver of improvements for bio-electronic ICs
Some technologies directly experience improvements while others indirectly experience them through improvements in “components” Better bio-electronic ICs lead to better bio-electronic
systems
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes,
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Early Applications: cardiac pacemaker and
cochlear implant
http://www.siliconsemiconductor.net/article/69596-Efficient-mixing-in-milliseconds-with-lab-on-a-Chip.php
Another Type of
Bio-Electronics:
Simple form
of MEMS with
Micro-Fluidic
Channels
Another
view of
a bio-
electronic
IC
Blood Analysis
MEMS compared to a Newer Technology,
Nanopores, which is another form of Bio-Electronics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvDZh8hmR84
DNA Sequencers also involve micro-fluidic channels and are
one type of bio-electronics
But the next session will focus more on the improvements in
DNA sequencers that have occurred over the last 30 years
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes,
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Source: AStar
Another Way to Look at “More Than Moore”
http://www2.imec.be/content/user/File/MtM%20WG%20report.pdf
Figure 2. Declining Feature Size
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year
Mic
rom
ete
rs (
Mic
rons)
Gate Oxide
Thickness
Junction Depth
Feature length
Source: (O'Neil, 2003)
How might bio-electronic ICs benefit from reductions in scale?
Benefits of Reductions in Feature Sizes
Is larger for Bio-Electronic ICs than for MEMS
Higher Resolution
Higher Resolution: Reductions in Feature Size Enable
Bio-Electronic ICs to Analyze Smaller Biological Materials
Viruses are infectious agents that replicate inside the living cells of organisms
Bacteria are multi-cell micro-organisms
Proteins carry out duties in cell according to DNA
The Goal is to Analyze Even Smaller things
such as Proteins and Molecules
Smaller sizes (mM – milli moles) are needed for smaller
detection limits and to analyze more data intensive applications
(mill
imole
)
http://www2.imec.be/content/
user/File/MtM%20WG%20report.pdf
Smaller Sizes Requires Better Tools
Scanning tunneling
microscope
http://inhabitat.com/silicon-chips-embedded-in-human-cells-could-detect-diseases-earlier/
How Smaller ICs Might Impact on the Biological Our World
February 2013, http://www.i-micronews.com/reports/BIOMEMS/4/345/
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes,
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Control of Implants and Artificially Implanted Tissues
Examples: Cochlear implants, retinal implants, implantable neural electrodes, muscle implants
Chips directly interact with organs to elicit the sensation of sound, sight, neurological functions, and muscle contractions, respectively.
Artificially generated electrical pulses must be engineered within context of physiological system and biological characteristics
This often requires new materials
The cardiac pacemaker and the cochlear implant.
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes,
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Smart Pills: A New Form of Drug Delivery
Conventional methods
Injections
Pills
skin patches
The problem with conventional methods is they often affect both good and bad cells
Smart pill Pills that can administer drugs directly to specific places in a
person’s body
Smart Pills for Killing Cancer Cells (1)
Most cancer treatments kill healthy cells even as they try to kill cancer cells
Another approach is to use smart pills/nano-particles to kill cancer cells
Example: illumination from a white light within smart pill/nanoparticle kills the cancer cell
Example: cause tiny magnetic disks to vibrate violently when they are near the cancer cells. This is done by passing a small external magnetic field over them
Cameras embedded in the smart pill enable doctor to see inside
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/AsadAliSiyal/nanorobotics-nanotechnology-by-engr-asad-ali-siyal
Smart Pills for Killing Cancer Cells (2)
One problem with nano-particles (molecular cars) is that they have no engine
Mother Nature uses the molecular adenosine triphosphate has her energy source
Possible engines
A nano-rod can be moved with a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide
Embed nickel disks or antenna inside these nanorods. one can use an ordinary magnet or a radio transmitter from the outside of the body to steer a nanorod through the inside of a body
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes,
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Applications in Laboratories and in Homes are Emerging as
Improvements are Made to Bio-Electronics
Labs:
Not Just Physicians End-users might be technicians, nurses or consumers
Very useful in rural areas where there are few doctors Share devices just like mobile phones are shared in some
rural areas
This might occur automatically; place bio-electronic ICs in toilet, bathroom mirror, and clothes
mirror may detect a disease such as cancer through the presence of a mutated protein called P53 (exists in 50% of cancer treatments)
Or place them in your body Or a skin patch on your body
It depends on how cheap these systems become……..
Source: Michio Kaku, Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily
Lives by the Year 2100 (2011)
Flexible Electronics/Skin Patches Many kinds of skin patches
But emergence of flexible displays is changing the field of skin patches Organic materials are revolutionizing displays (See Session
7) and ICs (organic ICs) for the displays (Session 4)
Thinner materials are more flexible than thicker materials
Adding a stretchy electronic mesh of islands that is connected by springy bridges (i.e., conformal electronics)
Conformal electronics can monitor bodily functions of athletes and others
deliver drugs
facilitate control of prosthetic devices
Enable “electronic” skin
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2010/cs/b909902f#!divAbstract
Improvements in Mobility may Lead to Greater Use of Flexible Materials
Mo
bil
ity
cm
2 /V
s
Single Crystal Si Ribbon
Oxide Semiconductors
Amorphous Silicon
Organic Semiconductor
1995 2000 2005 2010
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
100
10
1000
Si Mono-Crystal
Si Poly-Crystal
2013
Year
Improvements in Flexibility
Improvements in flexibility, which includes both bendabiilty and stretchability, have come from thinner materials and a so-called island-bridge design.
Extreme Thinness Leads to Flexibility of Semiconductor Materials
Island-bridge design enables much higher levels of flexibility
build a stretchy mesh with electronics on thin islands connected by springy
bridges
print mesh onto thin plastic which holds the entire mesh together
Source: MT5016 group
presentation in 2012
build body-worn stickers which seamlessly measure our body activity
breathablewaterproof
yet
Source: MT5016
group
presentation in 2012
core technology deployed to allow conformal coupling to the human body
all on an ultrathin patch that mounts onto the skin like a temporary tattoo
digital health- moderate development cycle
- high growth potential
- white space opportunity
modular system with onboard sensing, processing, power and communication
Source:
MT5016 group
presentation in
2012
wireless connectivity
informed user
continuousdata
analysis
seamlesssensing
digital health- moderate development cycle
- high growth potential
- white space opportunity
Source: MT5016 group
presentation in 2012
Can Mobile Phones be Platform for Managing Data Phones have high-performance processors, memory, and
displays
Can send data wirelessly, without cables
Easy to develop and download apps
Can phones handle multiple diagnostics/diseases maybe with one bio-electronic IC, like microprocessor?
What about creating accessories/attachments test strips to analyze blood, skin, saliva; check for flu, insulin and
other sicknesses
microscope to analyze cells, electrodes for electro-cardigram
Others for ultrasound, MRI, etc.
Useful for athletes, sick people
http://www.economist.com/news/technology-quarterly/21567208-medical-technology-
hand-held-diagnostic-devices-seen-star-trek-are-inspiring
How Far in the Future?
Qualcomm will give $10 million USD for first Star Trek
Tricorder. Improvements in bio-electronic ICs and other
technologies (e.g., fMRI – see later session) will probably
make this possible (http://gbmnews.com/wp/?p=254)
How far in the Future?From Skin Patches and Sensors to Artificial Skin
Science Vol 340, 7 June 2013, pp. 1162-1165
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
MEMs and Bionic Eyes
MEMS playing an important role in improving eyesight of people who suffer from macula, a disease that affects the retina
Disease renders photoreceptors useless although the remaining parts of the eye such as the pupil, cornea, lens, iris, ganglion cells and optic nerve remain operative
About two million people suffer from this disease in the U.S. or about 0.5% of Americans
All of the components in a Bionic Eye are Experiencing
Rapid Improvements in Cost and Performance
Source: Biomaterials 29(24–25): 3393–3399
MEMS-BasedElectrode
Electrode Implanted Into Retina
MEMS-Based Electrodes for Bionic Eyes
Increases in the Number of Electrodes Leads to
Higher Performing Bionic Eyes
What is the Future of
Humans?How many technologies
will be incorporated into
our bodies?
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes,
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Source: Cyberdyne Corporation, www.cyberdyne.jp
Examples of Exoskeletons
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60
160
240
300
0
30
6070
1000
800
500
200
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
HAL-3(1999)
HAL-5(2005)
HAL-5(2008)
HAL-5 (2011)
Suit Weight (Kg)
Operating Time (mins)
Weight Lifting (kg)
Response Time (ms)
From better materials
From better batteries
From better materials
Right Axis: from better bio-electronic and conventional ICs
Improvements in HAL’s Exoskeleton Suits
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics
Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants, drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes,
Exoskeleton
Food and other sensors
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Sensors for Food
Dates on packages are very rough
Food may spoil sooner or later than date
Causes food to be discarded too early or eaten when dangerous
Better sensors for food spoilage
Measure at various points in value chain including refrigerators and appliances
In combination with RFID tags, can help us identify points of food spoilage
Better sensors for factors related to food spoilage
E.g., temperature
Asthma and other Environmental Sensors Would you avoid places if you knew these places
caused problems to your health?
How about enabling people to build a map of asthma or other hot spots?
By using GPS and various sensors, users can build such maps
Outline
What is bio-electronics?
Geometric scaling in bio-electronics
Similarities between ICs and bio-electronics Applications for bio-electronics
Control of implants
Drug delivery
Point-of-care diagnostics, including skin patches
Bionic eyes
Exoskeleton
Sensors for food
Challenges for Bio-electronics are similar to those for MEMS
Like MEMS, development costs are very high for Bio-Electronic ICs so applications must have very high volumes
Integrated Circuits Bio-ElectronicICs
Materials Roughly the same for each application
Different for each application
Processes Roughly the same for each application (CMOS)
Different for each application
Equipment Roughly the same for each application
Different for each application
Masks Different for each application. But common solutions exist! Microprocessors, ASICs
Different for each application
Solutions?
Can we identify common materials, processes, equipment that can be used to make most bio-electronic ICs?
Using common materials, processes and equipment involve tradeoffs
Use sub-optimal ones for each application
But benefit overall from economies of scale; similar things occurred with silicon-based CMOS devices
One obvious option
Can we make Bio-Electronic ICs with materials, processes, and equipment used to fabricate CMOS ICs?
Or look for different materials, processes, equipment?
Conclusions and Relevant Questions for Your Group Projects (1)
Cost and performance of bio-electronics have experienced large improvements and still have a large potential for improvements
can potentially follow path similar to (or steeper than) Moore’s Law
thus can lead to changes in health care that are similar to changes in electronic systems from Moore’s Law
They have already enabled dramatic reductions in the cost of many types of medical products
point-of-care diagnostics
Sequencing, synthesizing equipment (covered next week)
Conclusions and Relevant Questions for Your Group Projects (2)
These improvements will probably continue
create new applications within diagnostic equipment, drug delivery, and chips embedded in clothing, body, etc.
Lead to greater use of bionic eyes, artificial organs, exoskeletons
What does this tell us about the future
Will Cyborg man become a reality?
These Examples
may Become
Common in the Near
Future
Conclusions and Relevant Questions (3)
One challenge is identifying a set of common materials, processes and equipment that can be used to make many types of Bio-electronics
What kind of progress is being made in this area?
What are the major types of materials, processes and equipment that are used in the fabrication of bio-electronic ICs?
Is a convergence occurring in the use of materials, processes, and equipment?
Appendix
How do bio-electronic chips work? (1) Bio-electron chips
Extract
Amplify (i.e., duplicate)
Detect various substances
They do so by sensing and analyzing
Charges, Elasticities
Forces, Pressures
After translating these parameters into voltages and currents, they are processed in the same way voltages and currents are processed on a standard IC chip
How do bio-electronic chips work? (2)
Most chips are designed to analyze a specific type of fluid and for a specific purpose
Combining functions on a single IC is currently very difficult
One reason is that different functions require different temperatures
But maybe we can control the heating of different parts of an IC chip?
EPC: Endothelial Progenitor Cells; PBMC: peripheral blood mononuclear cells
on the kind of artificial tubes to be used in patient