A Pacemaker Powered by Heartbeats
- A pacemaker's battery needs to be swapped out about every five to eight years, requiring surgery. Engineers are now working on a device that converts the mechanical energy of a beating heart into electrical energy and could last indefinitely. A prototype tested in farm animals has generated a microwatt of power, enough to keep a pacemaker going.
- The Parts:
- A) Flexible polymer holds system in place.
- B) Piezoelectric ribbons harvest energy.
- C) Rectifier switches current.
- D) Microbattery stores energy.
- E) Leads connect battery to pacemaker.
- F) Pacemaker controls heart rhythm.
- http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/pacemaker-powered-heartbeats?dom=PSC&loc=recent&lnk=1&con=a-pacemaker-powered-by-heartbeats
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