Distributed battery-free bioelectronic implants with improved network power transfer efficiency via magnetoelectrics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Networks of miniature implants offer potential for advanced medical applications like prosthetics and disease monitoring.
• Current wireless power and data transfer methods face inefficiencies through biological tissues, limiting network scalability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a scalable wireless power and data transfer system for networks of miniature bioelectronic implants.
• To improve the efficiency and robustness of wireless communication for implantable devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized magnetoelectric wireless technology for power and data transfer.
• Demonstrated networks of 1 to 6 millimetre-sized bioelectronic implants.
• Tested proof-of-concept networks in large animals for spinal cord stimulation and cardiac pacing.

Main Results:

• Achieved a system efficiency increase from 0.2% to 1.3% with an increasing number of implants.
• Each implant node received 2.2 mW of power at a 1 cm distance.
• Demonstrated successful wireless, battery-free operation of implant networks.

Conclusions:

• Magnetoelectric wireless transfer provides a scalable architecture for bioelectronic implant networks.
• This technology enhances system efficiency with increased device numbers, overcoming previous limitations.
• Enables next-generation electronic medicine through robust and efficient wireless power and data transfer for implantable devices.