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

如今，植入式医疗设备被广泛用于患者的监测、诊断和治疗目的。然而，大多数植入物由具有有限放电能力的嵌入式电池供电。由于电池耗尽，重复手术干预是不可避免的，以便更换植入物。在这种情况下，能量收集装置被广泛讨论，作为替代电源，用于植入式医疗装置，以捕获人体运动或其他可用的能量源，并将其转换为电力用于供电。使用这种能量收集装置可以避免重复更换电池，并且可以延长植入物的寿命。这降低了患者并发症的风险，甚至可以减小设备尺寸。然而，在设计有效的能量收集解决方案以完全为这种植入式设备供电方面仍然存在挑战。对于这个项目，博士研究员预计将研究用于自供电植入物的创新能量收集解决方案。该项目的主要挑战是如何在有限的设计空间内获得足够的电力，并提供可用的能源。将设计和集成能量采集器和自供电植入物。博士研究员将与能源收集和低功耗传感专家以及拥有一流设施的生物工程专家合作。

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.