Researchers at Penn State have developed a groundbreaking wireless charging device that harnesses energy from both magnetic fields and ultrasound, significantly advancing the potential for next-generation biomedical implants. The new technology, detailed in Energy & Environmental Science, combines dual-energy harvesting into a single device, achieving 300% more power than current state-of-the-art systems. This innovation addresses critical limitations in powering shrinking implants like pacemakers, insulin pumps, and neurostimulators, which traditionally rely on batteries with finite lifespans that require risky replacement surgeries. The dual-energy approach ensures efficient and safe power generation within human tissue safety limits, enabling the miniaturization of bioelectronic devices to millimeter scales. These battery-free implants could pave the way for distributed networks of sensors and actuators that monitor and regulate physiological functions, offering precise and adaptive therapies with minimal interference in daily life.
Unlike conventional wireless charging, which struggles with efficiency as implants become smaller, this device uses a magnetostrictive layer to convert magnetic fields into stress and a piezoelectric layer to transform stress into electricity. The piezoelectric layer simultaneously converts ultrasound vibrations into electric current, providing a combined energy output that surpasses individual sources. The innovation allows for greater power generation in the same footprint, unlocking applications previously unattainable due to power limitations.
Beyond medical applications, this technology has implications for powering wireless sensor networks in smart buildings, enhancing operational efficiency. The work, supported by the National Science Foundation, DARPA MATRIX program, and Army RIF program, represents a collaboration between Penn State’s engineering and biomedical science departments, along with contributions from the University of Minnesota. By enabling wireless power solutions that are efficient, safe, and compact, this breakthrough marks a significant step forward in biomedical and energy-harvesting technologies.
