Brief
Tiny Implanted Devices Use Body Tissue to Communicate
A new system, SWANS, lets implanted sensors send signals through tissue to trigger actions in distant implants.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Scientists have demonstrated that a network of tiny implants can communicate by sending faint electrical pulses through body tissue, rather than relying on Bluetooth. In experiments on rats, a sensor on a front paw triggered an actuator on a hind leg when the paw moved, causing the leg to flex on cue.
The system, called the Smart Wireless Autonomous Networking System (SWANS), was described in a study published in the journal Science. Researchers say the approach could allow medical devices to coordinate without bulky batteries or external transmitters, potentially enabling implants in deep tissues to respond to signals from other parts of the body.
Key facts
- SWANS uses faint electrical pulses through tissue to communicate between implants (scientificamerican.com)
- In rat trials, a sensor on a front paw triggered a hind‑leg actuator to flex (scientificamerican.com)
- The system was described in a study published in Science (scientificamerican.com)
- SWANS could allow implants in deep tissues to coordinate without external transmitters (scientificamerican.com)
Sources
- [1] scientificamerican.com — originally reported as “Tiny implants use the body as a communication network”
