Power/Data Telemetry Techniques for Implants or Wearable Systems

The need for energy efficient and multi-functional implanted or wearable devices has driven research into novel power and data telemetry techniques. For both implantable and wearable devices, specifications of the power and data telemetry need to be identified based on the underlying applications. However, few general methods and technologies have been developed to ease the constraints of these systems. For example, multiple wireless power transfer (WPT) methods. This chapter presents two design examples that discuss the implementation of a leading implanted retinal prosthesis and a wearable electronics based on body-area network (BAN). For WPT systems, the efficiency of the power transfer depends on the operating frequency, operating distance, and the dimensions of the external and implant coils. The chapter describes three methods based on the operating frequency and electromagnetic field source: inductive coupling, high frequency power transfer, and permanent magnet-based power transfer.