This paper focuses on the future of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems in biomedical applications. It discusses current technology, restrictions and applications and also illustrates possible future development. We mainly focus on actuator devices and introduce some of the concepts for RFID sensors. Basically, Radio Frequency Identification is a technology that is analogous to the working principle of magnetic bar code systems. Our proposed solution is to exploit an exciting new development in making circuits on polymers without the need of battery power. This solution exploits the principle of a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device on a polymer substrate. The SAW device is a set of interdigitated conducting fingers on the polymer substrate. If an appropriate RF signal is sent to the device, the fingers act as microantennas that pick up the signal, and this energy is then converted into acoustic waves that travel across the surface of the polymer substrate. Being a flexible polymer, the acoustic waves cause stress that can either contract or stretch the material. In our case we want to use RFID technology for biomedical applications. We want to use this technology for devices, which are implanted in the human body and controlled or observed by a radio frequency signal.

The application of biotelemetry in case of a RF controllable microvalve is discussed. Biotelemetry implies the contactless measurement of different electrical and nonelectrical parameters measured on human or animal subjects. A biotelemetry system consists of a transmitter and a receiver with a transmission link in-between. Transmitted information can be a biopotential or a nonelectric value like arterial pressure, respiration, body temperature or pH value. Transducers convert nonelectrical values into electrical signals. Radio frequency (RF) telemetry allows a patient greater mobility. Above all, the application of wireless communication becomes more and more popular in microinvasive surgery. Battery powered implants are most commonly used, but batteries must be changed after a period of time. To avoid this, wireless transcutaneous radio frequency (RF) communication is proposed for the powering and control of medical implants.