Devices that communicate using wireless proximal communications measure pulse width to find distortion in the received signal. The distortion may be due to the devices being too close to one another for a transmission power level currently being used which causes ringing of a receiving coil. The distortion may be used to find a correction that the receiving device may use to correct for the distortion in the received pulse train when decoding the pulse train. The distortion may be used to adjust a transmission power level of the receiving device and/or to send an instruction to the transmitting device to adjust the power transmission power level of the transmitting device. The distortion may be used for other purposes including determining a device depth and/or location for an implanted device, such as an implantable medical device within a body of a patient.

An active implantable medical device (AIMD) is described. The AIMD has a rechargeable electrical energy power source connected to a PCB assembly for powering the medical device. The AIMD can sense biological signals from a patient, or it can have at least two electrodes that provide stimulation therapy to the patient. An inductive charging coil housed inside an elongate device enclosure is connected to the power source. The inductive charging coil has winds of an electrically conductive wire or tape that wrap around the PCB. The winds of the inductive charging coil have an upper wind portion residing above the PCB and a lower wind portion below the PCB. Opposed curved ends of the inductive charging coil winds are continuous with the upper and lower wind portions. This structure provides the inductive charging coil with a length aligned along a longitudinal axis of the PCB. In that manner, the inductive charging coil occupies a space otherwise not used in an elongate cylindrical enclosure for an AIMD.

Devices and methods described herein facilitate rapid wireless recharging, while reducing risk of injury, damage, or discomfort caused by heat generated during recharging. The embodiments described herein are useful in a variety of context, including for IoT devices, personal electronics, electric vehicles, and medical devices, among others.

A system and method for powering a medical device that includes a fixture configured for periodic patient proximity; external electrical coupling device integrated into the fixture wherein the external electrical coupling device comprises at least one external energy coupler and is configured to detect presence of an electrical medical device implant in a transmission zone of the external electrical coupling device; an electrical medical device implant, wherein the electrical medical device implant comprises at least one implant energy coupler; and wherein the external electrical coupling device is configured to couple to the implantable medical device through a wireless energy transmission between the external energy coupler and the implant energy coupler when presence of the implantable medical device is within a transmission zone.

The present invention provides in part wearable devices for balance control. The wearable devices are capable of non-invasively monitoring and stimulating the wearer's vestibular system such that it produces postural responses. The wearable devices deliver low levels of electrical current to the vestibular system of a user to maintain balance. In one example, the wearable device is in the form of a pair of glasses.

A transcutaneous energy transfer system (TETS) that includes external and internal coils that have permeable cores is provided. According to one aspect, the TETS includes an external coil having disposed in proximity thereto, a first set of at least one permeable core that is wound by windings of the external coil. The TETS also includes an internal coil having disposed in proximity thereto, for each permeable core disposed in proximity to the external coil, a corresponding permeable core that is wound by windings of the internal coil.

An implantable device is provided, comprising: a substrate; an integrated circuit attached to the substrate; and an ultrasonic transducer configured to receive ultrasonic waves that power the integrated circuit, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is attached to the substrate via one or more electrodes, and wherein the total electrode surface area in contact with the ultrasonic transducer is smaller than the surface area of a face of the ultrasonic transducer to which the one or more electrodes are attached. For example, the ultrasonic transducer may be a cubic piezoelectric crystal, and the electrodes may be positioned at the edges of a face of the cubic piezoelectric crystal, at the center of a face of the cubic piezoelectric crystal, or at the corners of a face of the piezoelectric crystal.

The disclosed techniques allow for externalizing errors from an implantable medical device using the device's charging coil, for receipt at an external charger or other external device. Transmission of errors in this manner is particularly useful when telemetry of error codes through a traditional telemetry coil in the implant is not possible, for example, because the error experienced is so fundamental as to preclude use of such traditional means. By externalizing the error via the charging coil, and though the use of robust error modulation circuitry in the implant designed to be generally insensitive to fundamental errors, the external charger can be consulted to understand the failure mode involved, and to take appropriate action.

Described herein is an implantable device configured to detect impedance characteristic of a tissue. In certain exemplary devices, the implantable device comprises (a) an ultrasonic transducer configured to emit an ultrasonic backscatter encoding information relating to an impedance characteristic of a tissue based on a modulated current flowing through the ultrasonic transducer; (b) an integrated circuit comprising (i) a variable frequency power supply electrically connected to a first electrode and a second electrode; (ii) a signal detector configured to detect an impedance, voltage, or current in a circuit comprising the variable frequency power supply, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the tissue; and (iii) a modulation circuit configured to modulate the current flowing through the ultrasonic transducer based on the detected impedance, voltage, or current; and the first electrode and the second electrode configured to be implanted into the tissue in electrical connection with each other through the tissue. Further described are systems including one or more implantable devices and an interrogator for operating the implantable device, methods of measuring impedance characteristic of a tissue in a subject, and methods of monitoring or characterizing a tissue in a subject.

Neuromodulation of cranial nerves can be used to treat sleep or breathing disorders, among other diseases and disorders. A neuromodulation system can include a housing configured for implantation in an anterior cervical region of a patient, such as at or under a mandible of the patient, such as at least partially in one or more of a submental triangle, a submandibular triangle, and a carotid triangle. The system can include an electrode lead coupled to the housing, and the electrode lead can include an electrode configured to be disposed at or near a cranial nerve target in the patient. The system can be configured to generate electrical neuromodulation signals for delivery to the cranial nerve target using the electrode.