Inventors:
Marc D. Feldman - San Antonio TX, US
Shaochen Chen - San Diego CA, US
Li-Hsin Han - Sunnyvale CA, US
Carlos A. Aguilar - Edinburg TX, US
Arturo A. Ayon - San Antonio TX, US
C. Mauli A Grawal - San Antonio TX, US
David M. Lighthart - Portland OR, US
Devang N. Patel - San Antonio TX, US
Steven R. Bailey - San Antonio TX, US
Brian A. Korgel - Round Rock TX, US
Doh C. Lee - Yuseong-gu, KR
Tushar Sharma - Austin TX, US
Christopher J. Ellison - Austin TX, US
Xiaojing Zhang - Austin TX, US
Assignee:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System - Austin TX
International Classification:
A61N 1/378, H01L 41/113, A61N 1/39, A61B 5/02, B82Y 30/00
US Classification:
600508, 607 35, 607 5, 607 4, 310319, 977762, 977925
Abstract:
Aspects according to the present invention provide a method and implant suitable for implantation inside a human body that includes a power consuming means responsive to a physiological requirement of the human body, a power source and a power storage device. The power source comprises a piezoelectric assembly that is configured to generate an electrical current when flexed by the tissue of the body and communicate the generated current to the power storage device, which is electrically coupled to the power source and to the power consuming means.