Choosing energy sources for battery-free pacemakers

作者：Qiang Zheng, Yilin Wei, Di Li, Zhu Zeng, Zhou Li · 发表于：Device · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.device.2025.100746 · 被引用次数：13 · 研究领域：Advanced Battery Technologies Research、Wireless Power Transfer Systems、Innovative Energy Harvesting Technologies

Battery-free cardiac pacemakers can overcome the limitations of traditional battery-dependent devices. This perspective discusses recent progress in developing energy-harvesting solutions for pacemakers, focusing on triboelectric, piezoelectric, thermoelectric, photovoltaic, biofuel cell, and wireless energy transfer mechanisms that harness biomechanical energy, body heat, ambient light, ultrasound, biochemical energy, and electromagnetic fields. These technologies eliminate the need for battery replacements, reducing surgical risks and enhancing patient comfort and quality of life. We also discuss future directions and challenges of these systems, such as energy conversion efficiency, biocompatibility, long-term reliability, safety and clinical concerns, and opportunities for additional functionalities, such as real-time feedback and control. Battery-free pacemaker technology can eliminate the need for battery replacement surgeries of traditional pacemakers. Various energy harvesting and transmitting technologies can help realize this, such as utilizing energy from body movement, body heat, chemical energy in body fluids, and externally applied electromagnetic fields and ultrasound waves. However, these devices are not yet competitive with the mature technology of battery-operated pacemakers. Existing challenges include energy efficiency, biocompatibility, durability, and stability. Some of these technologies also provide opportunities for integrating additional functionalit...