Recent Advances in Organ Specific Wireless Bioelectronic Devices: Perspective on Biotelemetry and Power Transfer Using Antenna Systems

Abstract

The integration of electronics and biology has spawned bioelectronics and opened exciting opportunities to fulfill the unmet needs of therapeutic treatments. Recent developments in nanoelectronics and soft and biocompatible materials have shown potential applicability to clinical practices, including physiological sensing, drug delivery, cardiovascular monitoring, and brain stimulation. To date, most bioelectronic devices require wired connections for electrical control, making their implantation complicated and inconvenient for patients. As an alternative, wireless technology is proliferating to create bioelectronics that offer noninvasive control, biotelemetry, and wireless power transfer (WPT). This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of wireless bioelectronics and ongoing developments in their applications for organ-specific treatments, including disorders and dysfunctions. The main emphasis is on delineating the key features of antennas, namely their radiation characteristics, materials, integration with rest of the electronics, and experimental setup. Although the recent progress in wireless mediated bioelectronics is expected to enhance the control of its functionalities, there are still numerous challenges that need to be addressed for commercialization, as well as to address ever-expanding and evolving future therapeutic targets.

Keywords

• Bioelectronics
• Neural implants
• Drug delivery
• Antennas
• Wireless power