Mid-Field Wireless Transfer, n;

A new method for gaining energy that could wirelessly power implanted medical devices. A team at Stanford led by electrical engineer Ada Poon is pioneering the charging methodology using an electronic device smaller than a grain of rice. If approved, the method could introduce new, less intrusive possibilities for treating illnesses.

The wireless system uses the same technology as a cell phone to transmit energy safely, far below approved radiation levels. It combines electromagnetic waves with a far reach and those with a shorter reach to create energy within the device to power implants. Basically, mid-field wireless energy is created within the body and directed through the device to power things like pacemakers and, in the future, other programmable implants. The tiny implant is charged by holding a power source about the size of a credit card above the device.

For patients, this implant would mean options between aggressive drug treatments and “electroceuticals” — implantable electronic treatments. Though these options currently exist, the development of the mid-field wireless transfer method makes these procedures less invasive and more accessible to people. There hasn’t yet been testing in humans, but the health community seems excited about the possibilities of making these treatments easier for those who need them.