May, 2026 – Celtro is developing solutions for energy harvesting from human tissue to supply medical implants in the human body. To this purpose, a custom-designed ASIC-chip was developed and put to work in a lab based test-setup. The measurements have confirmed the target design data. The power dissipation of this chip to operate autonomously is 44 nW. Additional power is required for the pacing function, which is typically 50 nW. In total the typical power footprint for this prototype is below 100 nW. Pacemakers in service today operate in the µW range, which is 10 – 50 times higher than this prototype. Low power is key for energy autonomy, as those energies have to be extracted from the human tissue.
To match the electrical demand side from the tissue interface, in-vivo experiments were conducted on porcine hearts. With modified geometries and materials of the electrodes, we were able to extract up to 20 nJ per Heartbeat and per electrode. The results were published following a peer review (HRS at Elsevier) and are the foundation for further developments towards a qualifiable product.
The energy concept of Celtro GmbH holds a unique and internationally unmatched competitive position based on a number of EPO- and PCT- patents in different phases of nationalization.
The silicon microchip was developed under the R&D project “NanoPower BioChip A”. The project received grants from the Free State of Saxony, co-financed by the European Union.
Project:
NanoPower BioChip-A
– Proof of Autonomie –
Project timeline: 1.5.2024 – 28.2.2026
Project budget: 1.205.251,50 €
Contact:
Celtro GmbH
Bischofsweg 106,
01099 Dresden, Germany
E-Mail: info@celtro.de
Web: www.celtro.de