Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting for Implantable Medical Devices

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2021 Nov:2021:1547-1550. doi: 10.1109/EMBC46164.2021.9630243.

Abstract

A thermoelectric energy harvesting system is proposed to supplement the primary power supply of an implantable medical device. A low-power synchronous boost converter capable of boosting 10mV input voltage to 1V output voltage is designed in a 180nm CMOS process. To increase the charging speed, a maximum power transfer scheme is utilized. The harvester delivers up to 10µW power with a minimum temperature gradient of 1-degree, which results in a power efficiency over 40%.Clinical Relevance- The use of this technology could enhance the longevity of battery-operated implanted medical devices by reducing the possibility of invasive battery replacement surgery.

MeSH terms

  • Electric Power Supplies*
  • Energy Transfer
  • Equipment Design
  • Prostheses and Implants*