New technology enables wireless charging of implanted devices

The new charging technology improves the efficiency of wireless power transmission. Ultrasound enables wireless charging of electronic medical implants. It should also be possible to use it underwater.

The way we charge our devices has changed a lot over the past few decades. While at the turn of the millennium every laptop or mobile phone still needed its own charger, the micro-USB standard made its way into many homes with smartphones.

Today, almost any peripheral device can be charged with a Type-C cable. If you don’t have a cable on hand, many of our gadgets can also be charged wirelessly. However, these solutions are still not available in medicine or for underwater use. Instead, sometimes complex interventions are necessary each time.

Wireless charging:New technology improves wireless power transmission efficiency

There are many reasons for this. A wireless solution can be quickly implemented using smartphones, as the technology here is based on electromagnetic waves. However, this water cannot penetrate and cannot be used in humans due to the development of heat. Another method in use today – the magnetic resonance method – is based on frequencies that can easily be disrupted by other radio waves (WLAN, Bluetooth).

at the korean institute of science and technology So they came up with something new. Using ultrasound, weaknesses in known charging technologies should be eliminated and human use possible. Because ultrasound is already used in healthcare today – and without any major risks.

Ultrasound is converted into electricity by the mechanism

But how does the new charging technology actually work? As with any other technology, there is a transmitter (the charger) and a receiver (such as a pacemaker). The transmitter sends out ultrasound waves that are picked up by the receiver. A mechanism is then triggered in the receiver to convert the ultrasound waves into electricity.

In a first series of tests, the scientists initially managed to increase efficiency from one to four percent. However, it was enough to transmit eight milliwatts of power over six centimeters. This can be used to power about 200 LEDs, for example.

The researchers say that if the technology is further improved, higher values ​​can be achieved. This can help many people who still have to go through the stress of regular surgery today. But companies that lay cables in the deep sea, among other things, will have less pressure to recharge the sensors.

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