Planar transducer for measuring biomedical pressures

摘要

A planar pressure transducer is disclosed which is useful for interposing between living tissue and a medical device that applies pressure to the tissue in order to estimate the pressure applied to a selected area of the tissue. The planar pressure transducer comprises a pair of opposed plates between which the proximal ends of optical fibers and a deformable polymer structure are disposed. When the plates are subjected to a pressure acting normally to the plane of the plates an optical signal is obtained via the distal ends of the fibers and related to the pressure acting on the plates.