Researchers David Tran and his colleagues from Stanford University are looking to provide a heart powered pacemaker that will not only use micro or nano generator to produce power between 40 microwatts and 200 microwatts, but will also store it for emergency time. The device ensures energy generation by harnessing muscular contractions of the heart to spark relative motion between the magnet and the conductor.
If that doesn’t work for any reason, it knows how to use other sources like heat differentials, physiological pressures, and flows and movements such as blood flow though electromagnetic induction or the piezoelectric effect. Heart wall near to myocardium or pericardium, which can subject the generator to regular pulsating movements, makes it the best location for plantation.
Other advantages include reduction of volume from 16 milliliters to as small as 1-8 milliliters and almost double lifetime as compared to present commercial pacemakers. This concept, says researchers, holds a great scope for self powered technology in other devices like defibrillators, ventricular assist devices, muscle stimulators, neurological stimulators, cochlear implants, monitoring devices, and drug pumps.
Via: InventorSpot
