Self-Powered Implantable Devices Using Energy Harvesting for Real-Time Health Monitoring

Nowadays implantable medical devices are widely used in patients for monitoring, diagnosing and treating purposes. However, most of the implants are energized by embedded batteries with limited discharging capability. Repeated surgical interventions are unavoidable in order to replace the implants due to dead batteries. Energy harvesting devices are widely discussed in this circumstance, as an alternative power source, for implantable medical devices to capture human motion or other available energy sources and convert them into electricity for power supply. Repeated battery replacements can be avoided using such energy harvesting devices and the implants life span can be extended. This reduces the risk of complications for the patients and can even reduce device size. However, challenges still exist in design effective energy harvesting solutions to fully power such implantable devices.

For this project, the doctoral researcher is expected to investigate innovative energy harvesting solutions for self-powered implants. The main challenge within this project is how to obtain sufficient power within limited design space and given available energy sources. Energy harvesters and self-powered implants will be designed and integrated. The PhD researcher will work with experts on energy harvesting and low-power sensing, as well as experts in biological engineering with excellent facilities.