Self-Powered Cardiac Pacemaker: The Viability of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

Heart failure occurs when the heart does not pump the appropriate amount of blood which causes bradycardia or tachycardia. To treat such conditions an electrical pacemaker is inserted into the patient surgically. These pacemakers contain batteries that must be replaced every seven to eight years [1]. Pacemaker battery replacement surgeries overall increase cost, patient discomfort, surgical recovery time, and intra-op and post-op complications. This work aims to design an affordable pacemaker, called FlexPacer, that eliminates surgeries due to battery replacement in patients suffering from bradycardia. This is done by incorporating a piezoelectric crystal in order to recharge the pacemaker capacitor with each beat of the heart. Experimental outcomes and analysis show it is theoretically possible to harness enough energy in under two months to sustain a rechargeable pacemaker for over 20 years. This has the potential to improve outcomes for 40,000- 50,000 patients in India annually.