Wireless Power Receiver with Piezoelectric Sensor for Implantable Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable medical devices face challenges in maintaining continuous power supply due to the need for battery replacement and the burden it imposes on patients, especially for devices like pacemakers and deep brain stimulation systems, which require frequent battery replacements.
Innovation Solution
A power supply system that includes a wireless power transmitter unit outside the body generating a magnetic field to induce a current in a wireless power receiver unit inside the body, combined with a piezoelectric sensor unit that generates voltage based on pressure changes, allowing for a flexible and constant power supply without the need for battery replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a battery is used to supply power to the implantable medical device, then the device can operate continuously, but the battery requires frequent replacement which burdens the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the battery from the implantable medical device, placing it outside the body. The implanted device becomes batteryless, receiving power wirelessly through electromagnetic coupling between an external transmitter and an internal receiver coil, eliminating the need for surgical battery replacement while maintaining continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic fields as an intermediary to transfer power from the external battery system to the implanted device. The external transmitter generates electromagnetic fields that couple with the internal receiver coil, enabling wireless power transmission and eliminating direct physical connection requirements
2Volume of moving object
If the implantable medical device is made small, then it is easier to implant, but the battery size limits the operational duration
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the battery from the implanted device and placing it externally, the patent dramatically reduces the volume of the implanted device. The internal device only contains essential components like the receiver coil and medical functionality, while the bulky battery resides outside the body in the transmitter unit
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the power supply function into a different spatial dimension - the battery is located outside the body while the power reception and medical device functions are inside. This dimensional separation allows the implanted device to be small without compromising power supply duration
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
This system provides a constant and reliable power supply to implantable medical devices, reducing the need for frequent battery replacements and minimizing the burden on patients, while maintaining a small device size and avoiding the complications of battery life limitations.
Implementation Method 1
a wireless power transmitter unit located outside a body to generate a magnetic field when a first alternating current (AC) is applied thereto; a wireless power receiver unit located inside the body to generate a second alternating current by the magnetic field generated by the wireless power transmitter unit
Implementation Method 2
a piezoelectric sensor unit stacked at the wireless power receiver unit to generate a voltage according to a pressure applied thereto
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method for supplying power to an implantable medical device and a power supply system for an implantable medical device. The power supply system supplies a constant power to the implantable medical device even when there is a movement in a body, by using a wireless power transmitter unit, a wireless power receiver unit, and a piezoelectric sensor unit stacked at the wireless power receiver unit.