Magnetoelectrics enables large power delivery to mm-sized wireless bioelectronics

Area of Science:

• Bioelectronic devices
• Materials science
• Wireless power transfer

Background:

• Minimally invasive implantable bioelectronic devices require substantial power delivery to small implants.
• Current wireless power transfer (WPT) methods face limitations in power density for miniaturized devices.
• Magnetoelectric (ME) materials offer potential for efficient WPT by converting magnetic fields to voltage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze a model for WPT using ME materials.
• To identify key parameters influencing WPT efficiency and power density.
• To optimize power density for mm-sized wireless bioelectronic implants.

Main Methods:

• Developed a model for WPT utilizing magnetoelectric (ME) materials.
• Investigated the impact of material adhesion, clamping, and thickness on WPT performance.
• Optimized ME receiver design for enhanced power transfer.

Main Results:

• Achieved a power density of 3.1 mW/mm², over four times greater than previous reports for implants at ≥1 cm depth.
• Delivered 31 mW and 56 mW to 10 mm² and 27 mm² ME receivers, respectively.
• Demonstrated over five times higher power delivery compared to other WPT methods for similar-sized devices.

Conclusions:

• Optimized ME material configurations significantly enhance WPT power density for bioelectronic implants.
• The achieved power density enables more power-intensive bioelectronic applications.
• This advancement paves the way for advanced, battery-free, mm-sized bioelectronic devices.