INDUSTRY NEWS
A UK-based consortium is seeking to develop an in-body microgenerator that can harness energy from body movement to power implanted medical devices. The group is currently working on a prototype of the implantable unit that would induce voltage from the movement of a coil within a static magnetic field. The coil’s movement would be triggered by activity in the body such as heartbeats and moving joints. The prototype is expected to achieve 10–100 times more power than previous attempts to harvest human energy.
The group anticipates that implants such as pacemakers, electrical stimulators, instrumented joints, and body area networks would benefit from the new technology. While some implanted device batteries can be recharged externally, patients with implantable medical devices often must undergo a time-consuming and costly surgical replacement of the entire device. The technology is also expected to promote design flexibility in implantable devices. “The operating life and size requirements of the battery are a chief concern in the design of implanted medical devices,” says David Hatherall, external project leader at Zarlink Semiconductor (Swindon, Wilts). “Providing an in-body power supply will facilitate the design of new self-powered devices for applications currently not feasible due to battery-life and space restrictions.” The group also hopes the technology can be incorporated in emerging medical applications such as neurostimulation, activity monitoring, bladder-control valves, drug-delivery systems, medical telemetry, and cochlear and retinal implants.
Led by Zarlink Semiconductor, the project has received £500,000 in funding from the UK Department of Trade and Industry (London). The multidisciplinary consortium also comprises Finsbury Orthopaedics Ltd. (Leatherhead, Surrey), Innos Ltd. (Southampton, Hants), InVivo Technology Ltd. (Princes Risborough, Bucks), Odstock Medical Ltd. (Salisbury, Wilts), and Perpetuum Ltd. (Southampton, Hants).
To learn more, log onto www.implantgen.com or contact Zarlink Semiconductor, Cheney Manor, Swindon, Wilts SN2 2QW, UK; phone: + 44 1793 518000; fax: +44 1793 518411; e-mail: edward. goffin@zarlink.com; Internet: www.zarlink.com.
