An implantable power supply with an optically rechargeable lithium battery.
A novel power supply for medical implants has been developed. A wireless near-infrared power transmission recharges a lithium secondary battery in the power supply. A photovoltaic cell array embedded under skin receives near-infrared light through the skin and charges the battery directly powering an implanted device. We have shown that, for a photodiode area of 2.1 cm2, 17 min of near-infrared irradiation at a 810-nm wavelength with a power density of 22 mW/cm2 can send enough energy to allow regular commercial cardiac pacemakers to run for 24 h. The temperature rise of the skin during the light irradiation was 1.4 degrees C.
Goto
K
K
Department of Applied Physics, Osaka University, Suita, Japan. goto@ap.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp
Nakagawa
T
T
Nakamura
O
O
Kawata
S
S
D000818:Animals; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008094:Lithium; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D051381:Rats
D008094:Lithium