Endocardial Energy Harvesting by Electromagnetic Induction

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Energy Harvesting

Background:

• Cardiac pacemakers require regular follow-ups and frequent battery replacements, accounting for 25% of implantations.
• Conventional pacemakers rely on leads prone to fractures and dislocations, necessitating risky interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for harvesting energy from endocardial heart motions.
• To create a novel generator converting mechanical heart motion into electrical energy.
• To optimize the design for a miniaturized, transcatheter-deployable device.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel electromagnetic induction generator to convert mechanical to electrical energy.
• Created a mathematical model to identify key design parameters for energy conversion efficiency.
• Tested the device's performance both on a benchtop and in vivo.

Main Results:

• The mathematical model accurately predicted harvested energy, with predicted mean output powers of 14.5, 41.9, and 16.9 μW for recorded heart motions.
• In animal experiments, the implanted device achieved mean output powers of 0.78 μW at 84 bpm and 1.7 μW at 160 bpm.

Conclusions:

• Harvesting kinetic energy from endocardial motions is feasible.
• This technology offers a potential alternative to extend the longevity of cardiac implantable electronic devices.
• The endocardial energy harvesting concept could enable battery- and leadless pacemakers, addressing major limitations of current systems.