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Biotechnology Design

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Problem- Energy

Energy in terms of providing for electronics such as medical devices
Pacemaker
Explore environmentally friendly alternative energy sources to replace batteries in pacemakers

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Proposed Solutions

Hydroelectricity

Piezoelectricity

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Research

Normal Pacemakers & Batteries

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KAYLA

Key Points To Hit:

Explain Basic Function of Pacemakers/ How They Work

Ex.

Pacemakers have a battery, a computerized generator, and wires that have electrodes or sensors at the ends. Everything but the wire leads are encased by a metal box that resembles the shape of a kidney. The computerized generator draws energy from the battery to monitor and control your heartbeat. If there is an irregularity, the programmed generator will send an electrical pulse through the wires to the heart. Different types of pacemakers require different wires. In a single lead pacemaker, its wire is inserted into a vein that leads into the heart’s right ventricle. In a double lead pacemaker, the electrodes are inserted in the right atrium and the right ventricle. The pulses it sends helps coordinate the timing of the chamber’s contractions. Another type of pacemaker, a cardiac resynchronization therapy device, has three wires. Two wires connect to both ventricles and another to the atrium. This helps with the electrical signaling between the two ventricles.

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Battery

Generate 5 V of power (little more than needed)
Minimum life span- 4 years
Required to have open heart surgery every 7 years

KAT

Key Points To Hit:

Batteries do sufficiently power pacemakers but not for a full life time
Life span is approximately 4-7 years
Required to have open heart surgeries every 7 years

Costly
Emphasize marketability

According to researchers at the Ottawa Heart Institute in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the amount of pacemaker implants have risen in the past 15 years (done in 2006)
Info from the National Hospital Discharge Survey showed that 370 per million in 1990 and now 612 per million in 2002

Emphasize patients here/ the problem

Ex. The standard pacemaker today is powered by batteries that send electrical signals to the heart to make the heart beat faster, slower, or on a steadier rhythm. These electrical signals are transmitted through one or more wires to the heart and cannot be felt. However, these batteries only usually last between five to eight years, and then need to be replaced through a surgical operation. Open heart surgeries are expensive and dangerous to perform. Long preparation and recovery time is required for these surgeries. It is also very expensive. This surgery can be avoided if other power sources for the pacemaker are considered. Batteries are harmful to the environment and in the event of a leakage or malfunction within the body can cause serious health damage.

Batteries are harmful to the environment because of the chemicals they contain

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Hydroelectricity

Possible solution 1

What is it?

A turbine is spun by water flow
Turbine spins a rotor inside a generator
A stator is made up of electromagnets attached to the rotor within coils of copper wire
Stator is spun as the rotor spins
Spinning magnets move past conductors to create a flow of electrons in the stator's coils.
Electricity!

In a pacemaker:

Pacemaker system with leads and computer
Attached by wires to hydroelectric system in thoracic artery, and blood flow spins turbine

KAYLA

INFO TO COVER:

Pacemakers are run primarily by replaceable batteries, requiring a unit replacement surgery every seven to ten years assuming all works without obstacle or malfunction. They require 5 volts or 10 microwatts of power in order to work correctly. The battery is attached to a computer, which is attached to an electrical generator. The computer receives signals from electrodes or “leads” that monitor the heartbeat and tells the generator to control the beat by sending the heart electrical impulses if it is irregular. In order to find a well-functioning solution to power a pacemaker without periodic replacement, hydropower run by blood flow in the body will be examined. Arteries with greater potential in terms of housing a hydroelectric device include the thoracic artery and carotid artery, in which blood flow does not cease throughout the day or night so that constant power supply may be provided.

Hydroelectricity works with a turbine, which is spun by water flow. This in turn spins a rotor inside a generator. A stator -- electromagnets attached to the rotor within coils of copper wire -- is spun as the rotor spins. Spinning magnets move past conductors to create a flow of electrons in the stator’s coils. This is the electricity that can then be used to power the pacemaker or relative object.

Hydroelectricity in a pacemaker would consist of the pacemaker system with leads and a computer, but would be attached by wires to a hydroelectric system in the thoracic artery, which would use blood flow to spin the small scale turbines and generate the necessary electricity.

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Piezoelectricity

Possible Solution 2

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Piezoelectricity—What is it?

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Piezoelectric Pacemaker

Powered by your heartbeat and the vibrations of chest cavity

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Constraint Table

Process of choosing solution

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Rated on scale from 1-5 (1 being the lowest and 5 the highest)
Piezoelectricity won and was chosen as the solution

Criteria/Constraint	Hydroelectric pacemaker	Piezoelectricity Powered Pacemaker
Environmental	5	5
Economic	4	4
Social	5	5
Ethical	4	4
Feasibility	3	4
Efficiency	3	4
Total (out of 30)	24	26

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Feasibility- Piezoelectricity

Research of University of Michigan
Self Sufficiency
Generates Required Power
“Perpetual” Energy Source

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Feasibility- Pacemaker Cont.

Non-linear

Linear

KAT

Room:

Size of a normal pacemaker is 42mmx51mmx6mm
Constrained to about 27mm x 27 mm x 6mm

Linear (called linear bc direct creation of energy)

linear vibrational energy
zigzag of the piezoelectric material (ceramic PZT in this case) maximizes the strength but lowers the natural frequency
horizontal lines across are 27mm long beams that have brass as the chosen substrate material because of its high density
piezoelectric layer covers the substrate by the material epoxy
design calls for the thickness of the PZT-5A ceramic as 0.01 in
outcome is 10uW of power (exceptional because only a tenth of that power is needed to fuel a pacemaker if the heart rate is excited)
However, the power generation is dependent and “very sensitive” to heart rate

BEST Solution: Non-linear

design with the straight brass lever with magnet
nonlinear energy design is the more effective and efficient design of the two
design involves a straight brass lever substrate coated on top and bottom with PZT, which is a type of piezoelectric ceramic material
At the top and bottom of the lever, there are two magnets attached to a rectangular frame that has on the opposing side of the magnets, magnets of repulsing force
When the heartbeats, vibrations from the chest cavity moves the lever
The energy is harvested from the PZT’s vibration that creates mechanical to electrical energy because it never stops moving due to the repulsing forces of the magnet that continually switches from its two neutral positions resulting in perpetual movement, until the person dies
This solution is better than the linear energy generator because the linear energy generator is not as efficient since it does not consistently produce the wattage required. The linear method is affected by heart rate while this constraint is eliminated in the nonlinear harvester.

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Feasibility- Piezoelectricity Cont. (Efficiency)

Newly developed in terms of pacemakers
Not FDA approved (yet)
PZT’s flexibility

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Environment- Piezoelectricity

Biodegradable
Biocompatible
Self sufficient energy source

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Economic- Piezoelectricity

Save money
Still Being Developed (no definite price)
High Marketability

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Social/ Ethical- Piezoelectricity

Only concerns with pacemakers themselves, not piezoelectricity
Harvests wasted energy w/ no damage to others

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Real Life Application

More Effective/Efficient Pacemaker
Possible Alternative Energy Source for General Electricity
Money
Patient Lifestyle
Environment

KAYLA

Points To Hit

Talk about a child patient

Trauma of multiple open heart surgeries
Low quality of life
Possibility of battery failure

Possible General Energy Source

First step in medical devices could lead to more research for using piezoelectricity on a grander scale (paves way for another avenue)
Could be implemented into roads/ sidewalks of major cities (like dance clubs) as well as common used appliances or fixtures that vibrate and cause movement (like computer keyboards)

Money

If implemented one ay 7, if you live to 80 and need a replacement every 7 years, that’s equal to 9 surgeries with procedure cost, battery cost, then recovery cost after

Patient Lifestyle

Less surgeries, less susceptible to diseases and infections, healthier life
Less of a worry about battery failure, gives a peace of mind

Environment

Helps environment by eliminating batteries

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In Conclusion…

Problem: Environmentally friendly alternative energy source to the pacemaker battery?
Possible Solutions: Hydroelectricity vs. Piezoelectricity
Factors: Feasibility, Efficiency, Economics, Environmental, and Social/Ethical
Chosen Solution: Piezoelectricity
Real Life Application: Replace Normal Pacemaker batteries and possibly lead to use for mass electrical production

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Works Cited