Wireless Torque and Power Transfer Using Multiple Coils with LCC-S Topology for Implantable Medical Drug Pump

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Implantable medical devices like drug pumps traditionally rely on batteries, necessitating replacement surgeries.
• Existing wireless power transfer (WPT) systems primarily focus on energy delivery, not simultaneous mechanical actuation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a system for simultaneous wireless torque transfer (WTT) and wireless power transfer (WPT) to implantable medical devices.
• To enable battery-free operation of devices such as drug pumps by leveraging magnetic fields.
• To propose a method for position detection of the receiving coil without additional power consumption.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the magnetic field generated by a WPT system to simultaneously transfer torque and power to a receiving coil.
• Designing the receiving coil with magnetic material to function as a motor for torque generation.
• Analyzing the WPT system topology for stable torque generation using a constant current source.
• Developing a passive position detection method for the receiving coil.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated simultaneous WTT and WPT to an implantable device through simulations and experiments.
• Confirmed stable torque generation and wireless power transfer.
• Validated the efficacy of the passive position detection method.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method successfully enables simultaneous wireless torque and power transfer, paving the way for battery-free implantable medical devices.
• This technology can significantly reduce the need for surgical interventions for battery replacement in drug pumps and similar devices.
• The integrated approach offers a robust solution for powering and controlling implantable systems wirelessly.