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In the future, medical devices such as pacemakers and retinal prostheses could be charged wirelessly. Researchers at Aalto University have published a study in which they investigated how human tissue affects wireless charging. The study is a continuation of the group's previous research, which investigated wireless charging from a distance.

Visiting researcher Nam Ha Van from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation says that in their latest study, they found that human tissue interface dramatically affects the optimal frequency for wireless power transfer. The research publication has been recognized as one of the featured articles in the . 

’Our research revealed that the location of the transmitting antenna in the human body dramatically affects the optimal frequency for wireless power transfer. When the device is inside biological tissue, the optimal frequency for maximum power transfer efficiency lies in the tens of megahertz (MHz). When the device is outside the human body, the optimal frequency shifts significantly to the gigahertz (GHz) range,’ Ha Van explains. 

The study also demonstrated that the optimal frequency range for wireless power transfer through biological tissue is quite broad, which provides flexibility in system design. The research results provide valuable information for engineers designing medical devices and implants, and represent a significant step toward the development of next-generation biomedical implants and devices.

‘In the future, pacemakers may no longer require invasive battery replacements. Similarly, small, swallowable cameras that transmit images from inside the body could be charged wirelessly,’ says Ha Van.

Next, the research group plans to apply the study to realistic human anatomical tissue for practical applications such as capsule endoscopy.

Link to the publication:

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Nam Ha Van 
nam.havan@aalto.fi
+358505606892