Alois Pfenniger

Alois Pfenniger

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Alois Pfenniger

ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, Postfach 44, 3010 Bern, Switzerland

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

14Years (2013-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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13 February 2013 in Medical Engineering & Physics
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
APAlois Pfenniger
Alois Pfenniger
LWLalith N. Wickramarathna
Lalith N. Wickramarathna
RVRolf Vogel
Rolf Vogel
VKVolker M. Koch
Volker M. Koch
Most medical implants run on batteries, which require costly and tedious replacement or recharging. It is believed that micro-generators utilizing intracorporeal energy could solve these problems. However, such generators do not, at this time, meet the energy requirements of medical implants.This paper highlights some essential aspects of designing and implementing a power source that scavenges energy from arterial expansion and contraction to operate an implanted medical device. After evaluating various potentially viable transduction mechanisms, the fabricated prototype employs an electromagnetic transduction mechanism. The artery is inserted into a laboratory-fabricated flexible coil which is permitted to freely deform in a magnetic field. This work also investigates the effects of the arterial wall's material properties on energy harvesting potential. For that purpose, two types of arteries (Penrose X-ray tube, which behave elastically, and an artery of a Göttinger minipig, which behaves viscoelastically) were tested. No noticeable difference could be observed between these two cases. For the pig artery, average harvestable power was 42 nW. Moreover, peak power was 2.38 μW. Both values are higher than those of the current state of the art (6 nW/16 nW). A theoretical modelling of the prototype was developed and compared to the experimental results.

22 February 2013 in Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing
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Journal Article
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APAlois Pfenniger
Alois Pfenniger
Dominik ObristDominik Obrist
Dominik Obrist
ASAndreas Stahel
Andreas Stahel
VKVolker M. Koch
Volker M. Koch
RVRolf Vogel
Rolf Vogel

1 July 2014 in Applied Mathematical Modelling
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
APAlois Pfenniger
Alois Pfenniger
ASAndreas Stahel
Andreas Stahel
VKVolker M. Koch
Volker M. Koch
Dominik ObristDominik Obrist
Dominik Obrist
RVRolf Vogel
Rolf Vogel