ABSTRACT
An implantable system must be biocompatible with the tissues and cells of the environment in which it works. This requires using materials that are biocompatible to embed the sensor and electronic circuits inside a component of the prosthesis that is already biocompatible. Other requirements are the dimensions and frequency of the electromagnetic waves travelling through the human body. This chapter presents two examples of architectures for batteryless implantable medical devices. The analysis of implantable systems has led to the definition of a classification according to the type of architecture; one class is “telemetric systems” and the other is “self-powered systems.” The chapter describes a telemetric technique and an energy-harvesting system. The fundamental requirements for an implantable medical device are the capabilities of being self-powered and maintenance free. The telemetric and the energy-harvesting techniques represent two valid alternative solutions to power an implantable medical device.
