| abstract |
A medical implant device such as, for example, an intramedullary (IM) nail including an improved sensing device for monitoring the progression of fracture healing in a patient is disclosed. In one embodiment, a medical implant device for attachment to a portion of a bone may include at least one energy-harvesting strain sensor operative to generate a charge responsive to a strain force on the medical implant device, and at least one electronic element configured to receive at least a portion of the charge, the at least one electronic element comprising a telemetry device operably coupled to the at least one energy-harvesting sensor, the telemetry device powered, at least in part, by the at least a portion of the charge to transmit sensor information associated with the charge to a receiver device. Other embodiments are described. |