biotelemetry

Biotelemetry is the remote measurement and transmission of physiological data from living organisms to observers. It combines biological sensors with communication technologies to monitor biological signals and conditions without requiring direct observation or proximity. The term covers both implantable devices and external sensors, and it is used in medical, veterinary, and ecological contexts.

Systems typically include sensors that collect data, a transmitter or data logger, a power source, and a receiver or network that delivers data to clinicians, researchers, or conservationists. Data may be transmitted via radio frequency, cellular networks, satellite links, or stored for later retrieval. Modern biotelemetry often integrates multiple data streams such as heart rate, temperature, activity (accelerometry), location (GPS), and environmental parameters.

Applications include clinical patient monitoring, chronic disease management, and perioperative care; wildlife biology and conservation through tracking and health assessment of free-ranging animals; veterinary medicine and athletic performance monitoring; and research into physiology, behavior, and ecology. Implantable devices, such as cardiac monitors or glucose sensors, allow continuous data collection from within the body, while noninvasive wearables and body-mounted sensors provide external measurements.

Challenges involve device durability, battery life, data quality, and potential risks such as infection, device failure, or behavioral effects on study animals. Ethical considerations address welfare, privacy, data ownership, and the balance between information gains and potential harm. See also telemedicine and bioinstrumentation.