Development of a Wireless Power Transfer System for Low-Power Biomedical Implants Using Resonant RF Coupling

Abstract

Since pacemakers, neural stimulators and biosensors are increasingly being used, people now require power delivery methods that are efficient, do not involve surgical battery replacement and provide longer battery life. Essentially, the study details how we designed and created a WPT system that sends power continually to biomedical implants with the support of RF coupling. Having a 13.56 MHz ISM band, this system works in a safe way, using short-range, near-field power over tissues. Both the external coil and the receiver coil used are in planar spiral form to maximize electromagnetic energy in tissues that include water. To assess the main features including the efficiency of transferring power (PTE), McBee investigated SAR and frequency using electromagnetic simulations with the recommended multi-layer tissue phantoms. Setting up a gelatin tissue-mimicking system showed that the laser can transfer up to 65% of its light to a PTE at 10 mm in separation, providing enough energy for the majority of today’s implants. Aligning the system in detail and enhancing its robustness did away with most losses related to deterioration from non-coherence. It’s crucial that the SAR did not go above the required limit of 1.6 W/kg, so using a wireless phone was safe and comfortable. Our results reveal that the WPT system using RF energy is suitable for efficient and noninvasive powering of future implants, helping to reduce complications and surgeries for patients.