Researchers at Georgia Tech tested SWANS, which sends simple signals through body tissue between wearables and implants. In rats, a paw-motion sensor triggered an implant to stimulate a hind-leg muscle; no human testing has been done.
Published Sept. 24 in Science, the research uses tissue’s natural ionic conductivity: a wearable hub sends electrical pulse patterns that implants recognize. SWANS is designed for small commands, not large data transfers, and does not require each implant to carry a conventional radio link. The researchers say implants can be under 3 millimeters and delivered by syringe.
The researchers coordinated devices at different depths, including beneath the skin, in the abdominal cavity and in the gastrointestinal tract. Georgia Tech reported that the pulses caused no damage to tissue samples; based on the team’s experiments, a small actuator triggered once a day could operate for about a year.
