更小，更聰明，Ultra Low Power傳感器提高了醫用植入物能量收集的潛力

　　在醫用植入物領域，能量收集長期以來被認為具有相當大的潛力，人體本身就是提供能量的來源。已經取得了一些進展，但隨著今天的超低功耗電路和傳感器，開發利用能源的努力正在加速。最后實現了自主操作的目標，實現了更小、無電池的設計。

　　本文將介紹一些先進的研究項目，以說明能量收集的潛力，不僅在醫療植入領域，而且在其他領域。我們將回顧一些現有的組件，有可能利用人體能源為醫療設備提供動力。

　　這些組件包括壓電薄膜傳感器，如可從測量專業；微小的薄膜，固態電池Cymbet，和RF收發器從德克薩斯儀器。

　　Battery-free

　　The principle criticism of energy harvesting for many applications in the past has been the low levels of energy generated through all but solar cells. However， significant advances in extremely-low-power， ultra-miniature electronics， including RF circuitry and wireless sensors， are generating strong interest in energy harvesting for medical implants. When batteries can be eliminated， or their life extended significantly， then implants will become smaller， more convenient， more reliable， longer lasting， and more effective.

　　As developers continue to push the boundaries of miniaturization and ultra-low-power operation， some inroads have already been made to develop implants that benefit from energy-harvesting techniques， both from internal and external sources.

　　Cardiac pacemakers， powered by piezoelectric energy harvested from the heartbeat itself， are now viable. A European consortium of researchers， led by CEA-Leti in France， is developing a low-power cardiac pacemaker， operating at 5 μW instead of 25 μW， powered by energy generated by the patient’s heartbeats. Eliminating the battery avoids having to replace it every five to ten years. It also means the device can be made smaller （see Figure 1）。