Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33694336›Full record

ArticleJournal of biomedical optics2021

Potential of subdermal solar energy harvesting for medical device applications based on worldwide meteorological data.

Maximilien V Tholl, Adrian Zurbuchen, Hildegard Tanner, Andreas Haeberlin

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of biomedical optics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 48% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Maximilien V ThollUniversity of Bern, sitem Center for Translational Medicine and Biomedical Entrepreneurship, Bern, Switzerland.
Adrian ZurbuchenUniversity of Bern, sitem Center for Translational Medicine and Biomedical Entrepreneurship, Bern, Switzerland.
Hildegard TannerBern University Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Bern, Switzerland.
Andreas HaeberlinUniversity of Bern, sitem Center for Translational Medicine and Biomedical Entrepreneurship, Bern, Switzerland.
University Hospital of Bern · CHUniversity of Bern · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

significanceActive implants require batteries as power supply. Their lifetime is limited and may require a second surgical intervention for replacement. Intracorporal energy harvesting techniques generate power within the body and supply the implant. Solar cells below the skin can be used to harvest energy from light.

aimTo investigate the potential of subdermal solar energy harvesting. APPROACH: We evaluated global radiation data for defined time slots and calculated the output power of a subdermal solar module based on skin and solar cell characteristics. We assumed solar exposure profiles based on daily habits for an implanted solar cell. The output power was calculated for skin types VI and I/II.

resultsWe show that the yearly mean power in most locations on Earth is sufficient to power modern cardiac pacemakers if 10 min midday solar irradiation is assumed. All skin types are suitable for solar harvesting. Moreover, we provide a software tool to predict patient-specific output power.

conclusionsSubdermal solar energy harvesting is a viable alternative to primary batteries. The comparison to a human case study showed a good agreement of the results. The developed code is available open source to enable researchers to investigate further applications of subdermal solar harvesting.

Indexed as

Pacemaker, ArtificialSolar EnergyElectric Power SuppliesHumansProstheses and ImplantsSunlightenergy harvestingmedical implantmodelingopen source codesubdermal solar cell

Identifiers

PMID33694336
PMCPMC7946961
OpenAlexW3134716995

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.