Magnetoelectric Bio-Implants Powered and Programmed by a Single Transmitter for Coordinated Multisite Stimulation.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Implantable Devices
• Wireless Power Transfer

Background:

• Coordinated multisite stimulation requires synchronized, wirelessly powered implants.
• Existing systems face challenges in scalability, efficiency, and synchronization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel hardware platform for coordinated leadless multisite stimulation.
• To enable efficient, scalable, and synchronized stimulation using wirelessly powered implants.

Main Methods:

• Developed a single-transmitter, multiple-implant system leveraging magnetoelectric effects for wireless power and control.
• Integrated a robust system-on-chip (SoC) with magnetoelectric films and energy storage capacitors into miniaturized implants.
• Implemented individual addressability using physical unclonable function (PUF) IDs.

Main Results:

• Achieved efficient wireless power transfer (milliwatt range) over several centimeters with tolerance to misalignment.
• Demonstrated robust SoC operation under voltage variations and distance changes.
• Attained 90% efficiency for stimulation with fully programmable parameters and individual implant addressability.

Conclusions:

• The proposed platform offers a flexible, scalable, and efficient solution for leadless multisite stimulation.
• The magnetoelectric wireless power transfer and integrated SoC enable reliable, individually controlled neurostimulation.
• This technology has significant potential for advancing therapeutic applications requiring precise, multi-point neural modulation.