The world’s smallest pacemaker is injectable and powered by light

Engineers at Northwestern University have developed the world’s smallest pacemaker . It’s so small, as a matter of fact, that it fits inside the tip of a syringe. This means that it’s injectable, so patients could potentially avoid a painful surgery. It safely dissolves into the bloodstream after a time, so it’s a temporary solution. It’s designed for folks who need heart help on a short-term basis, like newborn babies with congenital defects. However, it can work with hearts of all sizes. It’s also powered by light, which is pretty darned cool. The pacemaker is paired with a wireless wearable device that mounts to a patient’s chest. When that small device detects an irregular heartbeat, it shines a light that activates the pacemaker. These light pulses can penetrate a patient’s skin, bones and muscles. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Even though the pacemaker is tiny, measuring one millimeter in thickness, it still delivers as much stimulation as a full-sized unit. The engineers publi ... Read full article.