Intelligent Ureteral Stent for Wireless Hydronephrosis Monitoring

This project represents a six-year PhD research program (2018-2024) conducted in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of Prof. Kenichi Takahata. The research focuses on the design, fabrication, and validation of the world's first intelligent ureteral stents integrating RF antennas and micro-pressure sensors for real-time kidney pressure monitoring.

Research Timeline (2018 → 2024)

2018-2020: Concept development, MEMS pressure sensor integration, RF antenna design
2021: First intelligent stent prototype, in-vitro wireless validation
2022-2023: Sensitivity optimization, bending characterization, RF performance analysis
2024: Low-profile ex-vivo prototype, thesis completion, IEEE Sensors oral presentation

Key Contributions

First intelligent ureteral stent integrating RF antenna and micro-pressure sensor
Wireless real-time pressure telemetry validated in vitro and ex vivo
Novel low-profile stent designs compatible with standard clinical insertion
Advanced MEMS fabrication and antenna optimization for implantable devices
Six peer-reviewed publications (3 journals, 3 conferences)