Solar Energy In Human Heart? New Discovery Surprises All

Success doesn't know the last word. It becomes true when Swiss researchers successfully built a solar cell to power a typical pacemaker and the brain stimulators. This is a great invention and a major breakthrough in the arena of cardiac science and brain treatment.  

So far people only use solar energy externally, but this is the first time when solar cells provide power to pacemakers and "deep brain stimulators". Springer's journal Annals of Biomedical Engineering beautifully describes this life savior approach.

Currently, most of the electronic implants are battery powered and they run for a certain period of time. After that limited span of time, the patients need to undergo implant replacement process. This process is costly and risky too.

According to EurekAlert, different research groups tried to build electronic solar cells, which can be placed under the skin to recharge essential medical devices. But famous author Lukas Bereuter of the Bern University Hospital and the University of Bern, and his colleagues developed a uniquely "designed solar measurement devices".

The best part of this device is it can measure the required output power which will be generated. 3.6 square centimetres is the size of the cells. The size is perfect to be implanted. One-week tests in summer, autumn and winter were done to see the performance of the cells.

32 volunteers of Switzerland wore this device on the arms. The devices were covered by optical filters in order to know how the sun rays penetrate the skin, and how the properties of the skin react.  

The result was absolutely satisfactory. The tiny cells responded perfectly in all the three seasons. The cells were able to generate 5 to 10 microwatts of power that is sufficient for a pacemaker. Even 12 microwatts were the lowest power output by a participant.

It can be said undoubtedly that this "energy -harvesting" device with solar cells creates a new dimension to solve many important cardiac problems. Most surprisingly, there is less probability of device replacement.  

Bereuter opined that the test result unveils many new ways, which can be applied for any other solar power application on humans. Truly, this device proves that it can be a real friend of the heart beat.