Practical Limits and Challenges for Powering of Wireless Systems in Implantable and Lab on a Chip Biomedical Devices and Review of the Low Power Design Techniques

There is a high demand for research into innovation and development of miniaturized electronic devices for biomedical applications such as lab on a chip device, implantable medical devices (IMD), and wireless biosensor systems (WBS), etc. These electronic systems must be wireless as wires penetrating through human skin increase the risk of infections as they act as conduits for viruses and bacteria and they also limit the flexibility of movement for patients. Ultralow power transceivers are essential because wireless communication subsystems consume most of the power in wireless biomedical implants and implanted batteries are undesirable due to their limited lifespan and the risk of infection they pose. Also, a limited amount of power can be transferred through the wireless power link system. The design requirements for wireless communication and power source subsystems for wireless biomedical implants can be determined based on the specific application of the wireless biomedical implants. Practical limits and challenges in low power and low voltage design of wireless systems in lab-on-a-chip devices and implantable biomedical devices need to be considered for investigating various techniques for low power design with the advantages and the trade-offs of each design technique. This paper outlines the practical limits and challenges for powering wireless systems in implantable and lab-on-a-chip biomedical devices and reviews low power design techniques.