Bio-Impedance Non-Contact Radiofrequency Sensor for the Characterization of Burn Depth in Organic Tissues

A flat circular transmission-line based 300 MHz resonator is implemented for the non- contact assessment of burn depths in biological tissue. Used as a transmit-and-receive sensor, it is placed here at a 2 mm distance from organic material test samples (pork fillet samples) which have been previously heated on one face in various heating conditions involving various temperatures, durations and procedures. Data extracted from the sensor by means of a distant monitoring coil were found to clearly correlate with the depth of burn observed on the tissue samples (up to 40% sensor output changes for a 7 mm burn depth) and with the heating conditions (around 5% sensor output changes for 5.5 mm burn depth obtained at 75 °C or 150 °C). These results open the way to the development of easy to implement burn assessment and monitoring techniques, which could be integrated in wearable medical dressing-like monitoring devices.