Fully autonomous implantable systems with locomotion can revolutionize medical technology, and include applications ranging from diagnostics to minimally invasive surgery. However, the extreme power requirements of fluid locomotion impose significant design challenges. Using highly efficient and scalable electromagnetic propulsion systems, these locomotive devices become possible. Recent work shows that mm-sized antennas in tissue achieve optimal power transfer efficiency in the low-GHz range. Combining this power transfer method with the highly efficient propulsion, a fully wireless locomotive implant capable of moving at 0.53cm/s has been realized in 65nm CMOS with a 2mm × 2mm receive antenna and a 0.6×1mm2 die size with a 2W 1.86GHz carrier. The design consists of an RF frontend, bandgap reference, regulator, demodulator, digital control, and configurable high-current drivers for the propulsion system.
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