In today’s medicine electronic devices are standard of care to interact with biological tissue, to measure and monitor biological signals and to substitute organ deficiencies. Cardiac device therapy is one of the oldest and most widely used clinical fields using implantable electronic devices.
Until today all medical electronic devices operate on batteries or external energy transfer. Autonomously driven energy self-sustaining medical electronics do not exist. Current technology of energy supply limits implantable electronic lifetime, it necessitates secondary replacement surgery with associated costs and risks, and it restricts functionalities of advanced biological signal monitoring to guide patient management and digital health.
Implantable cardiac electronics are further limited through typical out-of-organ implant sites which necessitate long insulated wires to connect to cardiac tissue. These so-called ‘leads’ carry a significant risk of insulation defect, wire break, infection and other vascular damage. With limited connection points to the target organ this technology contains further unmet risks of patient harm, repetitive surgeries and incremental healthcare costs.