In Vivo Demonstration of a Self-Sustaining, Implantable, Stimulated-Muscle-Powered Piezoelectric Generator Prototype

• Published in: Annals of biomedical engineering Vol. 37; no. 11; pp. 2390 - 2401
• Main Authors: Lewandowski, B. E, Kilgore, K. L, Gustafson, K. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Boston : Springer US 01-11-2009; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Biochemistry; Bioelectric Energy Sources; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Biophysics; Classical Mechanics; Electric power; Electric Stimulation - instrumentation; Energy Transfer; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Medical equipment; Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems - instrumentation; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Muscles; Pilot Projects; Prostheses and Implants; Prototypes; Rabbits; Mechanical muscle power; Electrical stimulation; Rabbit; Piezoelectric energy conversion
• ISSN: 0090-6964; 1573-9686; 1521-6047
• DOI: 10.1007/s10439-009-9770-6

An implantable, stimulated-muscle-powered piezoelectric active energy harvesting generator was previously designed to exploit the fact that the mechanical output power of muscle is substantially greater than the electrical power necessary to stimulate the muscle's motor nerve. We reduced to practice the concept by building a prototype generator and stimulator. We demonstrated its feasibility in vivo, using rabbit quadriceps to drive the generator. The generated power was sufficient for self-sustaining operation of the stimulator and additional harnessed power was dissipated through a load resistor. The prototype generator was developed and the power generating capabilities were tested with a mechanical muscle analog. In vivo generated power matched the mechanical muscle analog, verifying its usefulness as a test-bed for generator development. Generator output power was dependent on the muscle stimulation parameters. Simulations and in vivo testing demonstrated that for a fixed number of stimuli/minute, two stimuli applied at a high frequency generated greater power than single stimuli or tetanic contractions. Larger muscles and circuitry improvements are expected to increase available power. An implanted, self-replenishing power source has the potential to augment implanted battery or transcutaneously powered electronic medical devices.