J Appl Physiol 102: 1658-1663, 2007. First published January 11, 2007

Novel technology for the provision of power to implantable physiological devices

David M. Budgett,¹ Aiguo Patrick Hu,² Ping Si,² Wayne T. Pallas,¹ Mark G. Donnelly,¹ Jared W. T. Broad,¹ Carolyn J. Barrett,³ Sarah-Jane Guild,³ and Simon C. Malpas^1,3

¹Bioengineering Institute and ²Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and ³Department of Physiology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Submitted 27 January 2006 ; accepted in final form 5 January 2007

We report the development of a novel technology that enables the wireless transmission of sufficient amounts of power to implantable physiological devices.

The system involves a primary unit generating the magnetic field and a secondary pickup unit deriving power from the magnetic field and a power conditioner. The inductively coupled system was able to supply a minimum of 20 mW at all locations and pickup orientations across a rat cage, although much higher power of up to 10 W could be achieved.

We hypothesized that it would be possible to use this technology to record a high-fidelity ECG signal in a conscious rat. A device was constructed in which power was utilized to recharge a battery contained within a telemetry device recording ECG signal sampled at 2,000 Hz in conscious rats (200–350 g) living in their home cage.

Attributes of the ECG signal (QT, QRS, and PR interval) could be obtained with a high degree of accuracy (<1 ms). ECG and heart rate changes in response to treatment with the beta blocker propranolol and the proarrhythmic alkaloid aconitine were measured.

Transmitters were implanted for up to 4 mo, and the characteristic circadian variation in heart rate was recorded. Such technology allows potentially lifetime monitoring without the need for implant refurbishment.

The ability to provide suitable power levels to implanted devices without concern to the orientation of the device and without causing heating provides the basis for the development of new devices to record or influence physiological signals in animals or humans over significantly longer time periods than can currently be accommodated.