2017 11th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP)

Investigation of Inductive and Radiating Energy

Harvesting for an Implanted Biotelemetry Antenna
Quang-Trung Luu2, Stavros Koulouridis1, Antoine Diet2, Yann Le Bihan2, Lionel Pichon2
1
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Patras, Patras, Greece. E-mail: koulouridis@g.upatras.gr
2
Group of Electrical Engineering - Paris, UMR 8507 CNRS, CentraleSupelec, Université Paris-Sud,
Université Pierre et Marie Curie Gif-sur-Yvette, France. Email: lionel.pichon@geeps.centralesupelec.fr

Abstract—A coil is integrated inside an implanted antenna in of 1-2 cm [4]-[5] and therefore placement of the external
order to support inductive charging. The implanted antenna has applicator directly on the body. Moreover, displacement of the
been designed for wireless data telemetry at 400 MHz region external applicator or unwanted misalignment between
and radiating wireless charging at 915MHz. The antenna-coil
external and internal system can greatly affect wireless
system is embedded into a three-layer canonical model of
human arm. In the inductive charging case an external transmission performance. In any case such problems have
transmitting coil is considered while in the radiating charging been addressed but not necessarily solved [6], [7].
scenario a dipole is implemented. Several simulations are Radiating (or RF) charging propose an alternative path.
carried out for the antenna-coil system. While radiating Use of antennas for wireless energy transmission could
charging seems to be more efficient, inductive charging can be possibly achieve greater distances and robust designs
used as a complimentary solution since they both can coexist. combined with greater efficiencies. Work in this field is not
Index Terms—Planar Inverted F-Antenna, coil extended. A triple band telemetry application with wireless
configuration, SAR, efficiency. energy transfer at 433 MHz is investigated in [8] while in [9]
and [10] harvesting is investigated at 2.45 GHz. In [11] a novel
I. INTRODUCTION miniaturized rectenna for wireless telemetry and power
Electromagnetic (EM) energy has been proposed as transfer at MedRadio (402-405 MHz) and ISM (902.8-928
alternative source for permanent implants or for utilizing MHz) bands, correspondingly, has been proposed.
battery-less implanted devices. For years the focus has been In this work we are exploring the idea of integrating
put on inductive power transfer through the use of coils but inductive wireless charging in the 15x15x1.25 mm3 antenna
lately the so called Radio Frequency (RF) or Radiating of [11]. We also draw some comparisons with the work in
approach has been considered. The later has been initiated by [11]. A first approach was discussed in [12]. The main
the need to design autonomous implants of very small sizes restriction applied is the embedding of the proposed device in
that support wireless signal transmission. depths larger than 10 mm and the use of frequencies below
Indeed, miniaturized antennas operating in the 400 MHz – 1GHz. This is supported from multiple resources. For
2500 MHz have been proposed in several configurations for example in [13] it is analyzed how the use of lower frequency
supporting wireless biotelemetry. For example in [1] a planar allows for higher power reception especially for depths larger
antenna operating in the 400 MHz MedRadio Band has been than a cm. From [4]-[5] it is also indicated that the use of sub-
proposed while in [2] a miniaturized planar dipole has been GHz region is the optimum for inductive coupling in realistic
introduced for in-body communication at the same frequency scenarios.
and a wire dipole antenna has been developed in 950 MHz
region [3]. Other works focus on ISM 2.45 GHz frequency II. GEOMETRY OF THE SYSTEM
band. The geometry of the implemented antenna is given in Fig.
Inductive wireless transfer for implanted devices has been 1 [11]. The patch is printed on a high-dielectric substrate
based on several coil configurations systems in very close (Rogers RO 3210, εr=10.2, tanδ=0.003) of 0.625 mm
distances in-between (in terms of wavelength). By proposing thickness (t) and is covered with an identical superstrate layer.
designs at kHz region or at frequencies of few MHz, efficient The metallic patch surface (denoted with grey) and the ground
designs have been obtained. Still the coil sizes have been kept plane have planar dimensions of 13.8 mm x 15.8 mm and 14
relatively large. Lately, in order to minimize coil sizes, the mm x 16 mm, respectively. With reference to Fig. 1a, the slots
sub-GHz area [4]-[5] has been proposed. The use of 1-2 mm w1 x l1 and w2 x l2 are open to tune the antenna at MedRadio
diameter loops could lead to combined designs of inductive band. The addition of w3 x l3 slot allows for additional antenna
circuits with antennas that support wireless charging and operation at 915 MHz for the radiating charging operation. A
medical telemetry. The idea is that very small loops would not shorting pin (point S) increases the effective antenna size and
affect the relative larger antennas while the larger loops (lower further enhances antenna miniaturization (see [11] for further
frequencies) could interact with antenna and affect its details).
performance. Still, the use of inductive loops requires In order to add inductive charging capabilities, the antenna
distances between external applicator and implanted receiver is loaded with a coil tuned with a matching circuit. Coil

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 2017 11th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP)

diameter does not exceed 1-2 mm. It should be noted that receiving coil inside the arm model the maximum power
width w2 is initially w2=1.2 mm. However, because of the efficiency is found to be 1.59 % at 86.81 MHz.
antenna capability for tuning the width can be increased and Subsequently, the Rx coil is embedded inside the antenna
allow for up to 2 mm diameter coils. At one possible scenario as seen in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. As seen in Fig. 5 the optimum
the antenna carries out the medical telemetry communication frequency is not considerably affected and is now found to be
while the coil is the main component of the wireless power 104.45 MHz. However, the Power Transfer Efficiency is
harvester or alternatively harvesting at two different considerably decreased falling to 0.48%. As has been
frequencies; i.e. the coil frequency and the far field (Radiating investigated (not shown here) the antenna ground plane affects
Charging) frequency (915 MHz, see [11]). In other words, the considerably the PTE. Still by increasing the Rx coil diameter
coil does not affect antenna operation at all. or altering the antenna backing (without affecting its
The system is implanted into a canonical (cylindrical) performance can partially restore the worsened power
three layered tissue arm model consisting of skin (thickness efficiency.
2.5 mm), muscle (thickness 25 mm), and bone (see Fig. 2).
The dielectric constants of the tissue model are evaluated at IV. EVALUATING INDUCTIVE AGAINST RADIATING
402 MHz and 915 MHz, respectively [14]–[16]. The antenna ENERGY HARVESTING AND DISCUSSION
is placed at a depth d=10 mm beneath the skin-air interface. The wireless power link is evaluated between either the
Depending on the scenario, an external antenna, at 1m from external antenna (here a dipole) or the Tx coil 24mm in
the external surface for example, transfers radiating energy or
an external coil configuration, at a few mm from the surface,
Coil with
transfers energy inductively. Electromagnetic analysis is matchin g

carried out with CST Microwave StudioTM 2015. circu it

III. INDUCTIVE ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM

Due to the restrictions of internal coil diameter, the
frequency region investigated is the sub-GHz region. Indeed
in [4], [5] where similar internal coil sizes are investigated the
optimum frequency seems to variate between 100 MHz and
900 MHz. We set internal coil diameter to be 1mm. For the
external coil the diameter implemented is set to 24 mm.
Internal coil has 7 turns while the external one has a single
turn. Fig. 1. Geometry of the proposed implantable PIFA operating at 402 MHz
The system Tx – Rx coils is analyzed using the equivalent and 915 MHz, respectively ([11]).
circuit given in Fig. 3 (see also [4]) The induction between the
Tx and the Rx coil is being represented by the 2-port matrix
that is evaluated by defining feeding ports at the Tx and Rx
coils. After Electromagnetic Analysis, Power Transfer
Efficiency (PTE) is obtained via circuit analysis, as given in
Eq. (1) [4]. PTE is actually the ratio of real power deposited
at the load ZL,orig over the power inserted at the Tx coil. No
mismatch losses between the feeding source Vs and the coil
system is taken into account. (a) (b) (c)
Fig. 2. Wireless power link simulation set-up (a), (b) inductive and (c),
radiating. The antenna with the coils (Receiver-Rx) is implanted into the
cylindrical arm model and either an external coil configuration (here circular
coil) or an external antena (here a linear dipole) (Transmitter –Tx) transfer
(1) the energy to the Receiver – Rx.

For design purposes the transmission–reception inductive

system was first tested without the antenna presence and with
the receiving coil placed either in the air or inside the arm
model. The distance between Tx and Rx coil was set equal to
12 mm. The Rx coil was placed at 10 mm depth from the arm
surface (i.e. the Tx coil was at 2 mm distance from the arm
surface). As can be seen in Fig. 4 the tissue environment Fig. 3. Equivalent circuit to calculate Power Transfer Efficiency (PTE)
affects the optimum power efficiency significantly. With the between the Tx (transmitting, external) and the Rx (receiving, internal) coils
(see also [4]).

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 2017 11th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP)

Power Transfer Efficiency

7
Tissue Sim.
6.8427 %
Air Sim.
284.452 MHz
6

4
PTE

Fig. 7. Averaged SAR over 1g of tissue for the Tx dipole when it is moving
2 1.5908 %, 86.813 MHz away from the antenna. The stiched line denotes the SAR averaged over 1 g
limit for publix exposure [17]. Distance is measured in cm.
1

Tx dipole distance [cm]

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
0 50 100 150
Frequency (MHz)
200 250 300
5
0
-5
Fig. 4. Power Transfer Efficiency (PTE) from the 1-turn Tx coil of 24 mm -10

Pr [dBm]
in diameter to the 7-turn Rx coil of 1mm in diameter at 12 mm distance. Two -15
scenarios are considered: The system in either in the air or the Rx coil is -20 Limited due to
placed inside a cylindrical arm model (see Fig. 2) at 10 mm depth beneath -25 SAR restrictions
-30
the skin – air interface with the Tx coil at 2 mm distance from the skin –air -35
interface. -40
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Power Transfer Efficiency Tx coil distance [mm]
2.5
Tissue Sim.
Air Sim.
2.2101 %, 316.4 MHz Fig. 8. Received power from the implanted antenna (denoted with blue) or
the Rx coil (denoted with red). Top horizontal axis (cm) refers to the dipole
2 while bottom horizontal axis (mm) reffers to the Tx coil

diameter. The radiating power charging is carried out at 915

1.5
MHz while the inductive charging is applied at 104.45 MHz.
The objective is to estimate receiver’s sensitivity to collect RF
PTE

1
signals for wireless power transmission as a function of
distance (D) between the transmitter and the surface. Key
0.4771 %, 104.45 MHz
factors such as i) the implanted antenna gain, ii) the
0.5 transmitting power (Pt) regulated by Specific Absorption Rate
(SAR) [17] and effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP)
restrictions [18], and iii) the path losses considerably
determine the power (Pr) received by the implanted PIFA
0
50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Frequency (MHz)
Initial results for the case of an external dipole radiating at
Fig. 5. Power Transfer Efficiency (PTE) from the 1-turn Tx coil of 24 mm maximum allowed power (restricted at 1W maximum –see
in diameter to the 7-turn Rx coil of 1mm in diameter when placed inside the [18]) or the 24 mm-diameter coil radiating also at maximum
antenna. The distance between the two coils is equal to 12 mm. Two power are given in Fig. 8. As seen the radiating scenario seems
scenarios are considered: The system is either in the air or the antenna-Rx
coil configuration is placed inside a cylindrical arm model (see Fig. 2) at 10
to be superior since the reception is at worst at -25 dBm for
mm depth beneath the skin – air interface with the Tx coil at 2 mm distance 1m distance. For the inductive scenario the receiving coil
from the skin air interface. cannot receive more than -36 dBm for distances up to 18 mm.
This great difference is on one part due to the safety SAR
limits (1.6 W/kg for averaged SAR over 1g of tissue, [17]). In
Fig. 6, averaged SAR over 1g of tissue is given for the coil –
coil configuration in relation with the distance of Tx coil. Fig.
7 contains parametric analysis with distance of averaged SAR
over 1 g of tissue for the radiating dipole. Both transmitting
coil and dipole are fed with 1 W. As seen the Tx coil operates
below SAR safety limits only at distances greater than 18 mm.
For the dipole, SAR levels are below safety limits at distance
greater than 5 cm. Since PTE for the coils is considerably
affected by distance variations of few mm (not shown here)
Fig. 6. Averaged SAR over 1 g of tissue for the Tx coil when it is moving
away from the Rx coil. The stiched line denotes the SAR averaged over 1g the receiving power from the coil cannot exceed -36 dBm and
limit for publix exposure [17]. Distance is measured in mm. notably is kept stable (see Fig. 8). This is explained by the fact

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that allowable power is increasing with increasing distance of [9] S. Hu, J. H. Cheong, Y. Gao, M. C. K. Ho, M. Je, M. Madihian, and S.
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charging. Yet, efficiency in inductive charging can implantable rectenna for in-body medical devices power support,” in
considerably increase if the diameters of Rx and Tx coils 2016 10th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation
increase. In that case the redesigning of the PIFA would be (EuCAP), 2016, pp. 1–5.
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inductive charging for the original coil configuration does not
exceed 0.5 % power transfer efficiency.
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