Metamaterials for Ultrasonic Wireless Power Transfer

In recent decades, the utilization of implantable medical devices (IMDs) has significantly increased, driven by their potential to offer personalized healthcare and therapeutic interventions. These devices are essential for continuously monitoring physiological signals and the timely administration of treatments such as drug release or nerve stimulation [Ref]. Despite their benefits, the long-term operation of IMDs is challenged by the limited capacity of their batteries, which frequently require surgical replacement throughout a patient’s lifetime. This unsustainable power supply hampers the miniaturization and enhancement of IMD functionalities. Consequently, the development of a sustainable and wireless rechargeable power module metamaterials-based represents the main objective for this PhD project.
In this context, Ultrasonic Wireless Power Transfer (UWPT) provides a very promising alternative to the existing technologies, overcoming the limitation of the main battery and extending the transmission distance which remains too short in electromagnetic technologies. UWPT offers
superior capabilities for contactlessly energizing deeply implanted devices. Its critical advantages include lower operating frequencies to minimize energy attenuation, reduced sensitivity to transducer misalignment, enhanced security features that prevent eddy currents and excessive heat generation, and the similarity between the ultrasound wavelength and the receiver’s dimension. The implementation of a highly efficient UWPT system is poised not only to revolutionize IMDs but also to enhance their applications in ultrasound-based biomedical diagnostics and therapies significantly.
We propose a transformative approach based on BIC-Metamaterials (Bound state In the Continuum) enabling using BIC modes, which have an infinite resonant quality factor, to produce a superior wireless transmission compared to the existing approaches. Using the unique BIC-metamaterials with their remarkable high quality factor presents a strong added value compared to the piezoelectric ultrasonic resonance transmission. Our bold and ambitious objective is to develop new ultrasound metamaterials producing a high and deep wireless US energy transmission from an external transducer to recharge IMDs inside the human body.

More information on the link below.