Passing data and supplying power to neural implants

This work investigates two important components in neural implants, the information link and the energy source. In this paper, a new concept in which neural implants operate on the biological resources readily available to them is adopted. The volume conduction property of human tissue is employed to pass information, and the electrons released during cellular metabolic process are collected to supply power. The x-antenna has been developed for data communication wherein the volume conduction mechanism has been used. The paper has shown that the body's own energy stores can be converted to electrical current using a biofuel cell. The biofuel cell approach would provide not only uninterrupted power but also an opportunity to explore new methods fostering improved biocompatibility for implantable devices