A groundbreaking wireless implant promises real-time, personalised pain relief using AI and ultrasound power, no batteries, no wires, and no opioids. Designed by University of Southern California (USC) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) engineers, it reads brain signals, adapts on the fly, and bends naturally with your spine.
This groundbreaking device, detailed in Nature Electronics, represents a significant leap forward in pain therapy. While current spinal cord stimulators can be unwieldy and are hard-wired to batteries, the new device is designed to bend and twist with movement and is powered by a wearable ultrasound transmitter without the need for a battery.
It also harnesses machine learning algorithms to customise treatment for each patient. The work was led by Zohrab A. Kaprielian Fellow in Engineering Qifa Zhou, who is also a professor of ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
At the heart of this innovation is its wireless power supply, eliminating the need for bulky batteries and complex wired interfaces that often require repeated surgeries. The UIWI stimulator receives its energy from an external, wearable ultrasound transmitter (WUT).
Ultrasound offers a safe, effective, non-invasive method for deep-tissue penetration. The device converts mechanical waves into electrical signals through a phenomenon called the piezoelectric effect. The core of the UIWI stimulator is a miniaturised piezoelectric element made from lead zirconate titanate (PZT), a highly efficient material for converting incoming ultrasound energy into the electrical power needed for stimulation.
“What truly sets this device apart is its wireless, smart and self-adaptive capability for pain management,” Zhou said. Source: ANI