Sun Mingui, Hackworth Steven A, Tang Zhide, Gilbert Gary, Cardin Sylvain, Sclabassi Robert J
Laboratory for Computational Neuroscience, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2007;2007:5286-9. doi: 10.1109/IEMBS.2007.4353534.
It has been envisioned that a body network can be built to collect data from, and transport information to, implanted miniature devices at multiple sites within the human body. Currently, two problems of utmost importance remain unsolved: 1) how to link information between a pair of implants at a distance? and 2) how to provide electric power to these implants allowing them to function and communicate? In this paper, we present new solutions to these problems by minimizing the intra-body communication distances. We show that, based on a study of human anatomy, the maximum distance from the body surface to the deepest point inside the body is approximately 15 cm. This finding provides an upper bound for the lengths of communication pathways required to reach the body's interior. We also show that these pathways do not have to cross any joins within the body. In order to implement the envisioned body network, we present the design of a new device, called an energy pad. This small-size, light-weight device can easily interface with the skin to perform data communication with, and supply power to, miniature implants.
