Abstract
The use of networks of wireless active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) could revolutionize the way that numerous severe illnesses are treated. However, the development of sub-mm AIMDs is hindered by the bulkiness and the transmission range that consolidated wireless power transfer (WPT) methods exhibit. The aim of this work is to numerically study and illustrate the potential of an innovative WPT technique based on volume conduction at high frequencies for powering AIMDs. In this technique, high frequency currents are coupled into the tissues through external electrodes, producing an electric field that can be partially picked-up by thin, flexible, and elongated implants. In the present study, the system formed by the external electrodes, the tissues and the implants was modeled as a two-port impedance network. The parameters of this model were obtained using a numerical solver based on the finite element method (fem). The model was used to determine the power delivered to the implants’ load (PDL) and the power transmission efficiency (PTE) of the system. The results allow the identification of the main features that influence the PDL and the PTE in a volume conduction scenario and demonstrate that volume conduction at high frequencies can be the basis for a non-focalized WPT method that can transfer powers above milliwatts to multiple mm-sized implants (< 10 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> ) placed several centimeters (>3 cm) inside the tissues.
Highlights
The use of active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) has the potential to revolutionize the health industry for years to come [1], [2]
The results show that the maximum power delivered to the implants’ load (PDL) is obtained when the implant electrodes are surrounded by muscle tissue (PDL = 11.8 mW, power transmission efficiency (PTE) = 0.07%, and depth = 22 mm)
In this study it is numerically demonstrated that the proposed wireless power transfer (WPT) technique based on volume conduction can be a safe and effective method for powering electronic devices deeply implanted within human limbs
Summary
The use of active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) has the potential to revolutionize the health industry for years to come [1], [2]. Miniaturization, and the development of these envisioned swarms of networked AIMDs, has been hampered by the way implantable electronic devices are powered. Current batteries have limited power density for allowing the implementation of mm-sized devices that can operate for long periods of time. Inductive and ultrasonic coupling are the two most widely used WPT methods [7] Both methods are useful to transfer powers in the order of mW to a single AIMD [8]–[13], but they present several limitations for distributed networks of AIMDs. VOLUME CONDUCTION AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY. International safety standards [26], [27] identify two main sources of risk with respect to human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields: neuromuscular stimulation and tissue heating. The SAR is averaged over 10 g of tissue for
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