Devices such as hearing aids can already be charged using near-field waves, but the technology has a limited range and cannot be used to power implants buried deep in brain, heart or other muscle tissue.
Researchers claim that their findings could lead to new implants that will help to cure or manage diseases, but also sensors to monitor vital functions, electro-stimulators to change neural signals in the brain and drug delivery systems to apply medicines directly to affected areas.
“We need to make these devices as small as possible to more easily implant them deep in the body and create new ways to treat illness and alleviate pain,” said Poon.
William Newsome, director of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute, said Poon’s work created the potential to develop “electroceutical” treatments as alternatives to drug therapies.
He said such treatments could be more effective than drugs because implantable devices would directly target specific areas, unlike drugs which act globally throughout the body.
“To make electroceuticals practical, devices must be miniaturised, and ways must be found to power them wirelessly, deep in the brain, many centimetres from the surface,” said Newsome. “The Poon lab has solved a significant piece of the puzzle for safely powering implantable microdevices, paving the way for new innovation in this field.”
What could ‘electroceuticals’ cure?
1. Parkinson’s
2. Epilepsy
3. Pain relief
4. Depression
5. Heart failure
Past wearables: electronic implants could remedy illness
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