Self-powered, auto-responsive implanted vagal nerve stimulator for weight control

A nerve stimulation device comprising:

• a generator providing a pair of triboelectric materials and a first and second attachment point adapted to attach to two different locations on a stomach so that peristalsis of the stomach provides relative movement between the attachment points and corresponding relative movement between the pair of triboelectric materials to convert mechanical energy harvested during a peristalsis of the stomach into electrical energy;
• and
• a first and second electrode electrically communicating the electrical energy from the generator to a vagal nerve;
• wherein the generator is carried by a housing attachable to a surface of the stomach;
• wherein the housing is a compressible tube and the pair of triboelectric materials are held within the compressible tube, wherein the pair of triboelectric materials are separated by an inner lumen of the tube extending along a longitudinal axis of the tube in a first state and the pair of triboelectric materials are in contact in a second state.

A method of vagal nerve stimulation device comprising:

• providing a nerve stimulation device having a generator providing a pair of triboelectric materials and a first and second attachment point adapted to attach to two different locations on a stomach so that peristalsis of the stomach provides relative movement between the attachment points and corresponding relative movement between the pair of triboelectric materials to convert mechanical energy harvested during a peristalsis of the stomach into electrical energy, and a first and second electrode electrically communicating the electrical energy from the generator to a vagal nerve
• wherein the pair of triboelectric materials are connected to the first and second electrode, respectively, and have divergent electron affinities operable to produce an operative amount of electrical energy to stimulate the vagal nerve by movably contacting each other;
• implanting the nerve stimulation device on the stomach;
• and
• attaching the first and second electrode to the vagal nerve.