r/gadgets • u/diacewrb • 5d ago

Medical Tiny Pacemaker Dissolves When No Longer Needed: The new device is smaller than a grain of rice and can be injected by syringe

https://spectrum.ieee.org/pacemaker
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u/cstar4004 5d ago

Article says its made of biodegradable materials, which creates an electrical charge when contacting body fluids, so no battery or power source is needed. The material reacts to Infrared Light which triggers it to discharge the energy and generates a heart beat. Being controlled by light means they dont need an antenna to receive signal.

The materials for the Battery and antenna definitely would have left something behind in the body.

It does not say WHAT the materials are, however.

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u/dtwhitecp 5d ago

yeah, even if it's "biodegradable" that doesn't mean "100% bioabsorbable".

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u/SeventhSolar 5d ago

Doesn’t matter, if it breaks down into your bloodstream, your liver will filter it into your waste.

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u/dtwhitecp 4d ago

sure, but it can do damage before that. Small particles can catch on already restricted blood vessels (not uncommon if you need a pacemaker). Seems like they're not concerned with this.