Galvani- An innovative wireless power solution for arti?cial heart pumps.

心力衰竭（HF）是一种日益常见的心脏疾病，其原因是心脏向全身泵血的能力降低。症状包括呼吸急促和疲劳，运动能力降低。虽然药物治疗通常是有效的，但一些晚期心力衰竭患者可能需要心脏移植。心脏移植的需求超过了供体的供应;事实上，每年只有4000例心脏移植手术。在许多情况下，机电心脏泵（左心室辅助装置，LVAD）可以被植入靠近患者的心脏。这些设备可以挽救生命，但有一个主要的缺点。它们的高功率要求需要穿过患者皮肤的电力电缆（传动系统）。这经常会被感染，需要住院治疗，长期抗生素治疗和手术干预。动力传动系统还严重限制了患者的日常活动，降低了他们的生活质量。Galvani Tech Ltd为LVAD提供了一种创新的专利无线电源解决方案，能够进行大功率传输。由一组小而薄的，和？它采用了适合植入皮下的弹性线圈，可以消除传动系统。LVAD的电池充电将在夜间患者睡觉时使用轻便的充电背心进行。因此，不再需要因传动系统相关并发症住院。患者将体验到更高的生活质量，摆脱传动系统的限制和感染风险。他们将能够参加以前不可能的活动，如游泳。他们将享受更长的寿命，而不必担心传动系统相关的并发症。可以节省医疗费用。LVAD的使用寿命将延长，适合LVAD治疗的患者数量将增加。Galvani平台已在阿尔斯特大学开发。迄今为止，我们的研究计划已经表明Galvani技术优于早期的无线电力传输技术。我们已经展示了在高功率水平下传输射频能量的能力，足以为LVAD供电，而不会过度加热皮肤。总之，在这个为期一年的项目结束时，我们将优化Galvani技术，使我们能够与行业合作伙伴充分合作，推进商业化。我们将开发一个工作伽伐尼原型驱动的LVAD的台式演示。

Heart failure (HF) is an increasingly common cardiac condition resulting from a reduced ability of the heart to pump blood around the body. Symptoms include shortness of breath and fatigue, with reduced exercise capacity. While drug therapy is often effective, some patients with advanced heart failure may require a cardiac transplant.Demand for cardiac transplantation exceeds donor availability; indeed, only 4000 heart transplant operations are performed annually. In many cases, an electromechanical heart pump (left ventricular assist device, LVAD) may be implanted close to the patient's heart. These devices can be lifesaving but have a major drawback. Their high-power requirement necessitates a power cable (driveline) that passes through the patient's skin. This frequently becomes infected, requiring hospitalisation, prolonged antibiotic therapy, and surgical intervention. The driveline also significantly restricts the patient's daily activities and impairs their quality of life.Galvani Tech Ltd offers an innovative and patented wireless power solution for LVADs, capable of high-power transmission. Consisting of a set of small thin, and ?exible coils suitable for implanting beneath the skin, it will eliminate the driveline.Charging the LVAD's battery will occur at night when the patient is asleep using a lightweight charging vest. Hospital admission for driveline-related complications will, therefore, no longer be necessary. Patients will experience an improved quality of life, free from the restrictions and infection risk of a driveline. They will be able to participate in activities previously not possible such as swimming. They will enjoy a longer life without the fear of driveline-related complications.The reduction in costly hospital admissions will result in signi?cant healthcare savings.LVAD lifespan will be extended, and the number of patients considered suitable for treatment with an LVAD will increase.The Galvani platform has been developed at Ulster University. Our research programme to date has already shown the superiority of Galvani to earlier wireless power transmission techniques. We have demonstrated the capability of transmitting radiofrequency energy at high power levels sufficient to power LVADs without excessive skin heating.In conclusion, at the end of this one-year project, we will have optimised Galvani technology to a stage where we can fully engage with industry partners to advance commercialisation. We will develop a working Galvani prototype driving an LVAD for benchtop demonstration.