Electricity Transmission by Ultrasound
- SEOUL,South Korea (May 5,2025) — Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have achieved a breakthrough in wireless power transfer,developing a charger capable of transmitting...
- This level of power is sufficient to continuously operate low-power devices, power implantable medical devices, or charge batteries, according to KIST. The technology operates in the milliwatt range.
- Current wireless charging methods, commonly used for electronic devices and electric vehicles, often fall short when it comes to implants like pacemakers or underwater equipment.
South Korean Scientists Pioneer Wireless Charging for Implants,Underwater tech
Table of Contents
- South Korean Scientists Pioneer Wireless Charging for Implants,Underwater tech
- South Korean Scientists Pioneer Wireless Charging: Your Questions Answered
- What is the breakthrough in wireless charging?
- How does this wireless charging technology work?
- What is the range of this new wireless charger?
- Why is this wireless charging technology notable?
- How does ultrasound enable wireless power transfer?
- How does the ultrasound technology convert energy?
- What is the piezoelectric effect?
- What are the limitations of existing wireless charging methods?
- how does the KIST technology overcome these limitations?
- Who is leading this research?
- What are the potential applications of this wireless charging technology?
- Is this technology ready for commercial use?
- What is the difference between this technology and existing wireless charging methods?
SEOUL,South Korea (May 5,2025) — Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have achieved a breakthrough in wireless power transfer,developing a charger capable of transmitting power through both water and skin. The device can deliver 20 milliwatts underwater and 7 milliwatts through three centimeters of tissue.
Ultrasound Technology Enables Wireless Power
This level of power is sufficient to continuously operate low-power devices, power implantable medical devices, or charge batteries, according to KIST. The technology operates in the milliwatt range.
Overcoming Distance Limitations
Current wireless charging methods, commonly used for electronic devices and electric vehicles, often fall short when it comes to implants like pacemakers or underwater equipment. These existing methods require close proximity, typically within a few millimeters, between the charging station and the device. Greater distances result in inefficiency or complete failure.
The new ultrasound charger developed by the South Korean team significantly extends this range, paving the way for contactless power delivery to implants and underwater environmental sensors.
Why Ultrasound?
Researchers chose ultrasound for its ability to propagate through liquids and liquid-containing tissues, and for its safety for human use, a critical factor for implantable devices.
The system utilizes piezocrystals that vibrate in response to high-frequency sound waves.These crystals then convert the mechanical vibrations into electrical energy via the piezoelectric effect.
“We have shown that ultrasound can be used for the transmission of electricity,” said Sunghoon Hur,a senior researcher at KIST. “Now we want to miniaturize the system to prepare it for commercial use.”
Transformer Principle Limitations
conventional wireless power transfer systems rely on the transformer principle. these systems use a coil carrying alternating current to generate an electromagnetic field. A second coil within this field captures the energy and creates a corresponding alternating current to charge a battery.
Though, electromagnetic fields struggle to propagate through liquids and liquid-containing materials like body tissue, rendering the transformer principle ineffective in these environments.
South Korean Scientists Pioneer Wireless Charging: Your Questions Answered
What is the breakthrough in wireless charging?
Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have developed a wireless charger that can transmit power through both water and skin.
How does this wireless charging technology work?
The technology utilizes ultrasound for wireless power transfer. It’s specifically designed to overcome the limitations of existing methods, especially for implantable medical devices and underwater equipment.
What is the range of this new wireless charger?
The device delivers 20 milliwatts underwater and 7 milliwatts through three centimeters of tissue.
Why is this wireless charging technology notable?
This technology extends the range of wireless charging, making it suitable for applications where conventional methods fail. This includes implantable medical devices like pacemakers and underwater environmental sensors, enabling contactless power delivery.
How does ultrasound enable wireless power transfer?
Researchers chose ultrasound as it can propagate through:
* Liquids
* Liquid-containing tissues
* Is safe for human use, which is crucial for implantable devices.
How does the ultrasound technology convert energy?
The system uses piezocrystals. These crystals vibrate when exposed to high-frequency sound waves. They then convert the mechanical vibrations into electrical energy through the piezoelectric effect.
What is the piezoelectric effect?
The piezoelectric effect is the ability of certain materials to generate an electrical charge in response to applied mechanical stress. In this technology,the ultrasound waves cause the piezocrystals to vibrate,creating electrical energy.
What are the limitations of existing wireless charging methods?
Conventional wireless charging frequently enough relies on the transformer principle, using electromagnetic fields.However, electromagnetic fields struggle to propagate through liquids and tissues. This greatly limits the range and effectiveness of these methods for devices like implants or underwater equipment.
how does the KIST technology overcome these limitations?
The use of ultrasound allows the power to be transmitted over a greater distance compared to existing methods. Since ultrasound waves can travel more effectively through water and tissue, this technology facilitates charging in environments where electromagnetic fields are ineffective.
Who is leading this research?
Sunghoon Hur, a senior researcher at KIST, is involved in the research.
What are the potential applications of this wireless charging technology?
Potential applications include:
* powering implantable medical devices (like pacemakers)
* Charging batteries within implants
* Powering underwater environmental sensors
Is this technology ready for commercial use?
“Now we want to miniaturize the system to prepare it for commercial use,” according to Sunghoon Hur.
What is the difference between this technology and existing wireless charging methods?
This technology uses ultrasound for power transfer, offering improved performance in environments that hinder existing methods. The table below summarizes the key differences.
| Feature | Existing Wireless Charging (Transformer Principle) | new KIST Ultrasound Technology |
| :———————- | :———————————————————————————— | :———————————————————————————- |
| Operating principle | Electromagnetic Induction | Ultrasound |
| Propagation Limitation | Struggles through liquids and tissues | Effective through water and skin |
| Primary Use | Electronic devices, electric vehicles (requiring close proximity) | Implantable medical devices, underwater equipment |
| Distance Limitations | Requires close proximity (millimeters) | Substantially extends the range, enabling contactless power delivery. |
| Materials Compatibility | Limited by the inability to pass electromagnetic fields effectively | effective in environments like human tissue and water |