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Transcutaneous system recharges implantable medical device batteries

A non-invasive system to recharge electronic implant batteries, using energy that passes through the body transcutaneously, was developed by António Abreu, PhD student of Sustainable Energy Systems in the scope of the MIT Portugal Program and who is doing research work at the Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, I.P. (LNEG). The prototype has already been patented in the USA and in Europe.

The use of this system reduces the need for surgical interventions to replace batteries in devices such as pacemakers. In the future, the system may be applied to other types of internal prostheses or devices such as defibrillators, artificial electric hearts or insulin pumps.