In this paper, we present the design of an analog Automatic Gain Control with a small silicon area and reduced power consumption using a 0.5 $\mathsf{\mu }$ m process. The design uses a classical approach implementing the AGC system with simple blocks, such as: peak detector, difference amplifier, four-quadrant multiplier, and inversor amplifier. Those blocks were realized by using a modified Miller type OPAMP, which allows indirect compensation, while the peak detector uses a MOS diode. The AGC design is simulated using the Tanner-Eda environment and Berkeley models BSIM49 of the On-Semiconductor C5 process, and it was fabricated through the MOSIS prototyping service. The AGC system has an operation frequency of around 1 kHz, covering the range of biomedical applications, power consumption of 200 $\mathsf{\mu }$ W, and the design occupies a silicon area of approximately 508.8 $\mathsf{\mu }$ m × 317.7 $\mathsf{\mu }$ m. According to the characteristics obtained at the experimental level (attack and release time), this AGC can be applied to hearing aid systems.

Active filter design is a mature topic that provides good solutions that can be implemented using discrete devices or integrated circuit technology. For instance, when the filter topologies are implemented using commercially available operational amplifiers (opamps), one can explore varying circuit parameters to tune the central frequency or enhance the quality (Q) factor. We show the addition of a feedback loop in the signal flow graph of a biquadratic filter topology, which enhances Q and highlights that a sensitivity analysis can be performed to identify which circuit elements influence central frequency, Q, or both. In this manner, we show the opamp-based implementation of a biquadratic bandpass filter, in which Q is enhanced through performing a sensitivity analysis for each circuit element. Equations for the central frequency and Q are provided to observe that there is not a direct parameter that enhances them, but we show that from sensitivity analysis one can identify the circuit elements that better enhance Q-factor.

Self-powered RF passive sensors have potential application in temperature measurements of patients with health problems. Herein, this work presents the design and implementation of a self-powered UHF passive tag prototype for biomedical temperature monitoring. The proposed battery-free sensor is composed of three basic building blocks: a high-frequency section, a micro-power management stage, and a temperature sensor. This passive temperature sensor uses an 860 MHz to 960 MHz RF carrier and a 1 W Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) to harvest energy for its operation, showing a read range of 9.5 m with a 13.75 µW power consumption, and an overall power consumption efficiency of 10.92% was achieved. The proposed device can measure temperature variations between 0 °C and 60 °C with a sensitivity of 823.29 Hz/°C and a standard error of 13.67 Hz/°C over linear regression. Circuit functionality was validated by means of post-layout simulations, characterization, and measurements of the manufactured prototype. The chip prototype was fabricated using a 0.18 µm CMOS standard technology with a silicon area consumption of 1065 µm × 560 µm. The overall size of the self-powered passive tag is 8 cm × 2 cm, including both chip and antenna. The self-powered tag prototype could be employed for human body temperature monitoring.

This work presents a reconfigurable-band analog filter capable of performing the low-pass, high-pass, band-pass or all-pass functions. The proposed filter is a simple and compact cell composed of only two RC networks and one differential Operational Transconductance Amplifier (OTA). To select the desired filter type, two configurations must be done: 1) the two RC network shall be configured as low-pass/low-pass, high-pass/high-pass or low-pass/high-pass, 2) the input signals must be fed in differential or single mode. To validate theory and simulations, the proposed reconfigurable-band filter was designed, fabricated and measured to meet the biomedical band (0.1 Hz - 10 kHz) in a $0.5 ~\mu \text{m}$ CMOS standard fabrication process. To achieve the extremely low RC time constants imposed by the biomedical band, the R element was implemented using PMOS high-value programmable resistor. The prototype exhibits a silicon area of $470 ~\mu \text{m}$ x $250 ~\mu \text{m}$ and a power consumption of $96.32 ~\mu \text{W}$ using a ± 0.8 V symmetric power supply. Due to this circuit’s ability to perform four filter-functions, its operation band can be tuned over five decades, its power consumption is in the nano and micro-watt regime, and it is area compact, the proposed analog filter is a suitable candidate for being an analog standard-cell.