MedTech: Powering the Future of Miniature Implants: Why Ultrasound Is Leading the Way

Ultrasound offers a promising solution for powering miniaturized, deeply implanted medical devices where traditional power methods fall short.

As implants become smaller and migrate deeper into the body, batteries and inductive electromagnetic power transfer face fundamental limitations due to size, alignment, and tissue absorption constraints.

Ultrasound can deliver more energy with less tissue heating, enabling it to power tiny implants in hard-to-reach areas. However, significant challenges remain: ensuring efficient acoustic coupling to the body — without relying on gels — and achieving precise alignment between external transmitters and internal receivers.

Solutions such as soft polymer coupling interfaces and automated beamforming algorithms are being explored. If these hurdles can be overcome, ultrasound could unlock a new generation of miniaturised implants for advanced sensing and therapy, opening access to currently unreachable organs and enabling long-term use without bulky batteries or frequent recharging.

This transition marks a critical step toward more compact, user-friendly, and effective medical implants.

Read the full article on TTP’s Neurotechnology site, where you’ll explore the pros and cons of each implant powering method in greater depth, learn how ultrasonic energy transmission works, and discover the engineering innovations needed to make ultrasound-powered implants practical for everyday use.

From flexible coupling materials to advanced beam steering, the article dives into the technologies that could shape the future of implantable medical devices.

TTP designs and develops next-generation medical implants using a holistic multi-disciplinary approach to identify custom solutions for each specific case. We run development programs from specification of top-level requirements through to setting up supply chains and transfer to manufacturing. We aim to achieve tight integration of powering with other implant sub-systems and, ultimately, optimum implant design.

Case study: Developing next-generation implantable pulse generators | Case Studies | Neurotechnology Device Development