Constraints and design approaches in analog ICs for implantable medical devices

Abstract

Active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) are microsystems requiring ultra low energy operation, which is a characteristic increasingly shared by several other applications. On the other hand, AIMDs must comply with several specific constraints imposed by the medical implantable context. This paper first summarizes, from the point of view of the analog IC designer, the state of the art of AIMDs and their specific constraints. Then, some general design techniques for analog ICs for AIMDs are highlighted and an analog front-end for neural devices is presented to illustrate current circuit and architecture approaches.