On-Body Network Hub for Low-Power Implant Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication technologies for medical devices, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee, face challenges with high power consumption, latency, and insufficient data bandwidth, especially when used with implanted devices, and lack effective intercommunication between wearable and implanted devices.
Innovation Solution
A wideband on-body network (WON) system comprising subdermal, wearable, and skin-mountable components, including hubs, satellites, and servers, facilitates robust wireless power, signal, and control mechanisms, enabling efficient communication and security for implanted devices, using layered architecture and near-field communication to avoid percutaneous leads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If Bluetooth is used for wireless communication between implanted devices, then intercommunication capability is provided, but power consumption increases and data bandwidth becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the communication function into multiple components: implanted devices communicate via near-field magnetic induction (low power), external devices communicate via far-field electromagnetic radiation (high bandwidth), and a hub coordinates between them. This segmentation allows each component to use the most appropriate communication method for its specific needs, resolving the contradiction between intercommunication capability and power consumption.
2Speed
If high power is used to transmit signals from implanted devices, then communication range is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hub acts as an intermediary device that receives low-power near-field signals from implanted devices and retransmits them via high-power far-field electromagnetic radiation to external devices. This intermediary approach allows implanted devices to maintain short communication range with low power consumption while still achieving long-range communication through the hub's high-power transmission capability.
3Reliability
If percutaneous leads are used to power and communicate with implanted devices, then reliable power and data transmission is achieved, but surgical implantation is required and infection risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical percutaneous lead connection with a wireless near-field magnetic induction interface. The implanted device communicates and receives power wirelessly through magnetic coupling with an external generator, eliminating the need for surgical implantation of leads while maintaining reliable power and data transmission. This substitution of mechanical connection with electromagnetic field-based communication resolves the contradiction between transmission reliability and implantation complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The WON system provides continuous streaming of information, maintains high power and communication bandwidth, ensures security for sensitive bio-information, and allows surgery-free maintenance and upgrading of smart bandages and patches, while eliminating the need for percutaneous leads.
Implementation Method 1
The hub-satellite interface is a near-field magnetic induction interface that enables wireless communication and power transfer between external and implanted devices
Data Source
AI summary
A system for interfacing an in-body medical device with an external network includes a subdermal wideband on-body network (WON) hub, which in turn includes a hub rechargeable battery, a hub processor coupled to the hub rechargeable battery, a device interface configured to communicate with the in-body medical device, and coupled to the hub processor, and a hub-satellite near field communications wireless interface coupled to the hub processor. The system also includes a wearable WON server that in turn includes a server processor, a server-satellite interface coupled to the server processor, and an external network interface coupled to the server processor. The server processor implements a software controller; and a skin-mountable WON tethered satellite that includes a wired satellite-server interface, coupled to the wearable WON server, and a tethered satellite near-field communications (NFC) wireless interface, configured to communicate with the hub-satellite NFC wireless interface, and coupled to the wired satellite-server interface.