University of Michigan researchers have found a way to avoid the need to replace an ICD or pacemaker due to battery expiration.
Their research has identified a way to use your own beating heart to power your device. Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor tested an energy-harvesting device that runs on piezoelectricity (electricity resulting from pressure), and were able to generate more than 10 times the power required by modern pacemakers. And, it is about half the size of batteries now used in pacemakers and includes a self-powering back-up capacitor.
This article explains how it may be the greatest life booster for cardiac devices yet.
It was reported by Reuters, from an announcement at the annual American Heart Association scientific conference on Sunday.