US 9,287,576 B2 · Self-powered internal medical device

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a self-powered internal medical device. An example device may comprise at least an energy generation module and an operations module to at least control the energy generation module. The energy generation module may include a structure to capture certain molecules in the organic body based at least on size, the structure including a surface of the device in which at least one opening is formed. The at least one opening may be sized to only capture certain molecules. The operations module may initiate oxidation reactions in the captured molecules to generate current for device operation or for storage in an energy storage module. Thermoelectric generation circuitry in the energy generation module may also use heat from the reaction to generate a second current. The operations module may control operation of a sensor module and/or communication module in the device based on the generated energy.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A bioimplantable device, comprising:

an energy generation module to generate energy based on captured molecules, wherein the captured molecules are captured from an organic body in which the device is implanted and are captured by the energy generation module based at least at least in part on their size;
and
an operations module to at least control operation of the energy generation module, the operations module comprising a control module, wherein the control module comprises circuitry configured to initiate oxidation of said captured molecules at least in part by supplying a voltage to said energy generation module.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Self-powered internal medical device

Life of this patent

Self-powered internal medical device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24