Patent ID: 8721570

Claim:
An apparatus for sensing strain, comprising: a sensor; said sensor comprising an inter-digitated area variation capacitor; wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of free-standing inter-digitated fingers; and wherein lateral movement of the inter-digitated fingers produces a change in capacitance detected by said sensor; a transmitter; said transmitter coupled to said sensor; an antenna; said antenna coupled to said transmitter; wherein said sensor, said transmitter, and said antenna are adapted for implantation in a biological host; wherein the sensor is configured to be coupled to an internal body member of the host; wherein said sensor, said transmitter, and said antenna are adapted for monitoring said change in capacitance to measure a characteristic of loading on said body member; and a receiver subsystem configured to interface with an antenna and output a strain value to a user; wherein the receiver subsystem contains a power supply and is external to the host.