Abstract
While galvanic coupling for intrabody communications has been proposed lately by different research groups, its use for powering active implantable medical devices remains almost non-existent. Here it is presented a simple analytical model able to estimate the attainable power by galvanic coupling based on the delivery of high frequency (>1 MHz) electric fields applied as short bursts. The results obtained with the analytical model, which is in vitro validated in the present study, indicate that time-averaged powers above 1 mW can be readily obtained in very thin (diameter < 1 mm) and short (length < 20 mm) elongated implants when fields which comply with safety standards (SAR < 10 W/kg) are present in the tissues where the implants are located. Remarkably, the model indicates that, for a given SAR, the attainable power is independent of the tissue conductivity and of the duration and repetition frequency of the bursts. This study reveals that galvanic coupling is a safe option to power very thin active implants, avoiding bulky components such as coils and batteries.
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Acknowledgements
This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 724244).
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Tudela-Pi, M., Becerra-Fajardo, L., Ivorra, A. (2019). Powering Implants by Galvanic Coupling: A Validated Analytical Model Predicts Powers Above 1 mW in Injectable Implants. In: Lhotska, L., Sukupova, L., Lacković, I., Ibbott, G. (eds) World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering 2018. IFMBE Proceedings, vol 68/3. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-9023-3_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-9023-3_5
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