Wireless pacemaker could be just over the horizon

Grenoble’s TIMA lab and a consortium of partners are working on a project backed by the ANR, France’s national research agency, to develop a wireless pacemaker. TIMA’s energy-harvesting system, which is built on a multilayer piezoelectric blade, has already brought in some excellent results, operating in a simulated environment for 10⁹ cycles (which corresponds to around three years of use), delivering the 10 microwatts required to run a miniature wireless pacemaker.

The energy-harvesting system would be activated by the heart muscle’s mechanical activity and would be integrated directly into the pacemaker unit (20 mm long and 6 mm in diameter) implanted inside the right ventricle. Currently, traditional wired pacemakers are powered by a battery implanted near the collarbone, requiring surgery to change the battery approximately every eight years.

Contact: skandar.basrour@imag.fr

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