Useful integrated circuits for biomedical applications

The comsumer electronics industry has produced a huge variety of integrated circuits. Many of them are useful in instrumentation curcuits, are better than you (or I) can build, and are cheap. Some manufacturers are listed below, along with some of the integrated circuits that I think are useful.

• Analog Devices
  • Digital potentiometer -- solid state variable resistors +/-15 volts
  • Accelerometers
  • Magnetic field sensors
  • Temperature sensors
• Burr-Brown/TI
  • INA121 instrumentation amplifier -- good head stage for AC preamp
  • UAF42 universal filter -- easy to use low-, high-, band-pass module
  • MPY100 multiplier/divider
  • VFC32 voltage-to-frequency and freq-to-voltage
  • Voltage-controlled switches (multiplexers)
  • DCP series dc-to-dc converters -- make good stimulus isolators
  • Optical sensors
• Dallas Semiconductor/Maxim IC
  • Digital potentiometers -- solid state variable resistors
  • Power Suppplies
  • Low power amplifiers
  • CMOS 555 timer
  • Filters
  • Sensors
  • Wireless/RF
• Exar
  • 8038 function generator -- sine, square, triangle waves
    
• Linear Tech
  • Opamps
  • LT1079 operational amplifier -- low power, precision
  • Filters
  • Power Supplies
• National Semiconductor
  • LMC555 timer
  • LM318 operational amplifier -- cheap <$0.18 in 100s
  • LF444 JFET opamp
  • 4066 CMOS switch
  • Temperature sensors and Temperature sensor handbook
  • Active Filters
  • Audio amplifiers
• QT optoelectronics
  • optoisolators
• Texas Instruments
  • Refractive index sensor (liquids)

Directories:

• ICs By function (BleeNET)
• IC Manufacturers (BleeNET)
• IC by function
• IC Manufacturers bookshelf
• Components
• IC data sheets

Vendors:

• All Electronics -- surplus, LEDs, motors
• Digikey -- Good search engine, good selection of ics
  • Electronic catalog
• Jameco
• Mouser
• RSR/Electronics Express -- education-oriented
• Vendor list