UK-based battery developer Ilica has completed the necessary validation steps for its Stereax M300 micro-battery production line at manufacturing partner Cirtec Medical鈥檚 facility in Massachusetts, US.
Developed at the UK鈥檚 Southampton University, the Stereax battery has been designed with form factor and longevity in mind to power wearables for applications such as diabetes treatment, wherein the peripheral nervous system is stimulated.
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In achieving this, the millimetre-scale battery is typically placed within a capsule-sized implant inserted into the body using minimally invasive techniques.
According to Ilica, while the Stereax battery鈥檚 longevity is important, its miniaturisation, ensuring it has the 鈥渞ight functionality for the application鈥� and the ability to integrate into wearables for functions such as nerve stimulation, has been a key developmental focus.
Ilica鈥檚 CEO Graeme Purdy told 吃瓜黑料网 Network: 鈥淎 lot of the applications we’re seeing involve stimulating the vagus nerve, which is connected to many different organs in the body.
鈥淭he vagus nerve is connected to the pancreas, for instance, and by stimulating it, the pancreas can be made to release insulin, thereby mitigating the need for individuals with diabetes to take insulin injections.
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By GlobalData鈥淭he golden bullet outcome from this is that you end up with a closed loop system, whereby the amount of glucose in somebody’s blood can be measured, and when it crosses a given threshold, you can stimulate the pancreas.
鈥淏y having a measurement for glucose, combined with stimulation of the pancreas, ultimately the patient will hardly be aware that they’ve had a malfunction of their normal biochemistry.鈥�
Stereax also has applications in powering motion sensors and Bluetooth chips implanted into replacement joints to transmit data around a patient鈥檚 rehabilitation activities following a joint replacement.
Purdy explained: 鈥淏y putting a small sensor into a replacement knee joint, the level and frequency of the movement a patient goes through can be monitored, offering the potential to more effectively track the steps they take as part of their recovery.
The completion of the process qualification activates a ten-year manufacturing agreement signed between Ilica and Cirtec in 2023. Initial deliveries of the Stereax M300 batteries to customers will begin this year.
