Novel pacemakers can be powered with light
Scientists have developed a tiny solar cell that encourages the heart
to beat, an advance that may pave the way for pacemakers powered by
light. Researchers created a
flexible mesh out of silicon, that when activated by flashes of light,
creates a tiny electro-chemical effect which can stimulate the heart
muscle in a unique way.
They started with one of their own designs previously used to stimulate neurons, but made the mesh thinner to easily wrap around the heart and strewed tiny nano-wires across its surface to attach to cardiac cells. A small optical beam scans the area with a laser. Each flash activates the cells, causing the heart to beat at the same frequency as the light, according to the study.
“Unlike today’s pacemakers, this method appears to ‘train’ the cardiac muscle to beat,” said an associate professor.
It takes a while for the effect to kick in, but the muscles continue to fire for some time after the light pulses are stopped. The method is still early in development. If implanted in humans, the mesh could be injected at the target site, and a small optical fibre that would deliver the light pulses could be inserted through minimally invasive surgery, the asst. Prof. said.
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They started with one of their own designs previously used to stimulate neurons, but made the mesh thinner to easily wrap around the heart and strewed tiny nano-wires across its surface to attach to cardiac cells. A small optical beam scans the area with a laser. Each flash activates the cells, causing the heart to beat at the same frequency as the light, according to the study.
“Unlike today’s pacemakers, this method appears to ‘train’ the cardiac muscle to beat,” said an associate professor.
It takes a while for the effect to kick in, but the muscles continue to fire for some time after the light pulses are stopped. The method is still early in development. If implanted in humans, the mesh could be injected at the target site, and a small optical fibre that would deliver the light pulses could be inserted through minimally invasive surgery, the asst. Prof. said.
THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES. PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG- https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/
FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG- https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/
FOR CROCHET DESIGNS https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com
Labels: activated, creates, electro-chemical, encourages, flashes of light, flexible, heart muscles, heart to beat, mesh, nanowires, neurons, novel pacemaker, powered by light, silicon, stimulated, tiny solar cell
posted by G S Iyer at 10:20 PM
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