Wireless-Power for AIMDs

Ashutosh Prasad Yadav

Rishra, West Bengal, India
ashutoshprasadyadav007@[Link]

Abhishek Kumar Gupta

Howrah, West Bengal, India
abhikrgupta11@[Link]

Tanmoy Mondal
Pandua, West Bengal, India
20tanmoy19@[Link]

Bapun sahoo
Agarpara, West Bengal, India
bapun8351@[Link]

Abstract. We created a prototype of a device that can charge Active implantable

medical devices (AIMDs) wirelessly. AIMDs mostly relies on no-rechargeable battery
which are designed to last long. Like in case of pacemaker, it can last for 8 to 9 years
than a surgery is needed to replace the battery. With the concept of wireless charging
of AIMDs we can help the patient avoid a surgery.

1. Introduction
Currently medical science is developing at a very high pace but often there are some small problems
that goes by over looked even by the experts in the field. One of such problem that we took to work on
was charging the implanted devices wirelessly. AIMDs or Active implantable medical devices are
devices that are implanted in patient’s body and requires power to operate, for example pacemaker.
Currently this device has battery inside them which can often last for 9 to 10 years but once they run
out of power then they are needed to be replaced surgically.
But imagine if we could recharge those batter without performing any kind of surgery on the patient’s
body. We were able to make a prototype of such device which was capable of transmitting and
receiving power wirelessly even if there was a dense opaque blockage between the transmitter and the
receiver.
This device has huge potential in not only in medical but also in different type of applications, but
AIMDs was our primary goal. This device uses a norm fluctuating magnetic field - where the
frequency can be controlled by the user and not a beam of electromagnetic wave with high amplitude
therefore it is not cancerogenic and there is no issue to use it inside a human body.
2. Uses and future potential
Active implantable medical devices or AIMDs are devices that are implanted inside the body of
patient and requires power to operate like for example - pacemakers, drug delivery pumps or
neurostimulators are examples of AIMDs.
AIMDs is the future of medical science. As our technology is developing, we are uncovering new
method where we see that in near future, we might be replacing our failed organ with a mechanical
organ or we might be implanting devices that assists the organ helping it to perform better.
Implantation devices for brain that help with mental disorders is already here.

If those devices don’t find a way to transmit power wirelessly then with every implantation of those
devices, we will increase crowd at hospitals as those patients will have to come back to the hospital to
surgically replace their batteries after some interval of time every time their batteries run out of power.

Our devices can easily solve this problem by charging those AIMDs wirelessly using fluctuating
magnetic field. There are many possible methods of transmitting power wirelessly but we chose
fluctuating magnetic field although it’s range is less than the rest of the methods because - firstly
unlike other methods which is cancerogenic in nature this method is very safe to use in patients body
and secondly it is more cost efficient to build this devices.

We can implement this technology in different field for different applications too, like charging
electrical vehicle or charging cell phone or laptops etc.

3. Advantages of wireless power transfer

• An electrical distribution system, based on this method would eliminate the need for an charging
cable making working desks on offices more neat.
• System would help patient with Active implantable medical devices getting the coast down as
replacement of battery is not required anymore.
• If done on large scale it will get rid of charging point for electric vehicles as the charger can simply
be hidden under ground while charging vehicles wirelessly.
• When the technology reaches it’s supreme state one single device will be charging multiple device
wirelessly meters apart.
• It can charge many devices at once and the user don’t have go through the process of connecting and
disconnecting cables, hence saving our time.

4. Working principal
The prototype designed by our team can supply charge to any device wirelessly. the device takes 6
volts at 1 amp and can transfer that power wirelessly to any device around 1 foot away.
This device can also be used with the Active implantable medical devices but the device which is to
receive power will have to cover their components with metal cage so that the fluctuating magnetic
field that carries the power don’t interfere with the components and make it malfunction.

4.1. The prototype consists of two basic parts

•1st part – The device is taking low voltage (6v) and 1amp of Current but after passing it through the
joule thief circuit the voltage is increase to a great extent. Then there is spark gap which is basically
used for controlling the voltage of the primary coil, it also helps by providing some time to the
capacitor to get charged. Once the capacitor is charged the charge is released as a spark.
The current passes through the primary coil and as the voltage is high the magnetic field is strong and
the secondary coil – which is the device where the power is to be transmitted wirelessly, collects the
energy by eddy current. So, it’s like a transformer without a core, and the primary coil and secondary
coil are free to move with respect to each other but only in a given range.
•2nd part – The second part of the prototype is the part which is used for receiving the energy. It
simply consists of a coil which receives the power but depending on the requirement of the device a
voltage converter can be used that will convert its incoming alternating current to direct current.

4.2. In-depth of the working

The device take input of 6 volt at 1-amp direct current then it provides that power to the Joule thief
circuit, Joule thief circuit converts that low voltage DC to high voltage alternating current than a
rectifier circuit is used to convert that high voltage AC to high voltage direct current. A capacitor is
then used to store the current, now if we connect the primary coil directly then the capacitor will not
get charged and the voltage across the coil will be low and as it connected to DC source the coil will
not generate fluctuating magnetic field and hence no current will be received at secondary coil.
Therefore, a spark gap is used in middle which allow the capacitor to get charged. Once the capacitor
is charged enough that a spark can be made for the current to jump the air gap then a spark appears in
the gap connecting the circuit. As there is some time gap between the sparks the coil can be said is
receiving an alternating current and hence the coil can generate a fluctuating magnetic field.
On the receiving end the current received is of high volt low amp the value varies depending on the
distance between the emitter device and the receiving end.
Now a basic power converter circuit can be used to convert that power to the required volt. There is
some loss of power as the power was transmitted wirelessly but we have sent the power to a device
were connecting a cable to charge the device was not an option.

4.3. Parts of the prototype

Fig. 1. Image of the prototype

•Part 1. Power Input – The two wire through which the power of 6 volt and 1 amp is supplied.
•Part 2. Switch – It is used for turning on or off the device.
•Part 3. Voltage Amplifier – It consists of a Joule thief circuit a rectifying circuit and a 2 microfarad
650v capacitor. The final voltage output is more than 650v as the final voltage that comes out depends
on how much the capacitor got charged which in return depends on the air gap in the spark gap.
•Part 4. Spark Gap – The spark gap used here is a DIY adjustable spark gap. We can increase or
decrease the gap between the terminals. If we increase the gap then the capacitor will have to get more
charged to make a spark of that size and hence the voltage will be high but the frequency will drop and
if we decrease the gap then the voltage will be low but the frequency will be high.
•Part 5. Primary Coil – This is the coil that receives the high voltage Alternating Current and makes a
powerful fluctuating magnetic field.
•Part 6. Secondary Coil – This is the coil that receives its power from the primary coil via fluctuating
magnetic field. The voltage on the terminal of this coil depends on the adjustment of the spark gap and
its distance from the primary coil. But the voltage is usually very high, so to use it practically a circuit
can be used that takes the high volt of the secondary coil passes it through a transformer to drop down
its voltage and uses a rectifier to make it dc and capacitors to make the voltage more stable.
•Part 7. Lamp – A lamp is used here to demonstrate that the secondary coil is receiving power.

5. Conclusions
We designed a prototype of a device that is capable of transmitting and receiving power wirelessly via
the help of fluctuating magnetic field. The power intake is DC in nature but the power received at the
receiver’s end is AC in nature so at receiver end a rectifier is needed.

Once the power is rectified at recovers end then it can be used for many different types of applications
like charging an implanted device in patient’s body. This method is by far more superior than current
method which requires the patient to change the battery of the implanted devices surgically.

Apart from AIMDs this technology can also be used to create large benches where there is fluctuating
magnetic fields all above it surface and user can charge their laptops and cellular devices just by
putting them on the table.

6. Acknowledgment
We would like to express our gratitude to our HOD (CSE) Prof. Dr Saikat Maity for giving us this
opportunity to showcase our immense work. His guidance and support throughout were significant for
us to overcome hurdles we face will working on this project.
We are also beholden to Miss. Sudeshna Roy Chowdhury for her valuable guidance and enjoin.

References
[1] U.S. Patent 787, 412, "Art of Transmitting Electrical Energy through the Natural Mediums”.
Aug 14, 2020

[2] Thomas W, "Wireless Transmission of Power now Possible”. Aug 14, 2020

[3] Galizzi, M. Caldara, M. Re, Vitali, "A novel Qi-standard compliant full-bridge wireless
power charger for low power devices”. Aug 14, 2020

[4] Pawade, Sourabh, Dipti Diwase, "Goodbye wires: approach to wireless power
Transmission”. Aug 14, 2020