Investigation of a thermoelectric power supply for the Artificial Accommodation System

Presbyopia and cataract are increasing concerns in the aging society. Both age-related ailments go along with a loss of ability to accommodate. A new approach to restoring the patients' ability to accommodate is the Artificial Accommodation System which will be implanted into the capsular bag to replace the human crystalline lens. Depending on the actual need for accommodation, the Artificial Accommodation System autonomously adapts the refractive power of its integrated optical element. As the Artificial Accommodation System is an active implant, its subsystems have to be supplied with electrical energy. After a short introduction to thermoelectricity, this paper investigates the possibility of a thermoelectric power supply system for the Artificial Accommodation System. This energy-harvesting approach to powering micro-mechanical systems provides the possibility of an unattended, lifetime power supply of the whole system which promises to have the best possible patient compliance.