Greatbatch and WiTricity Collaborate on Wireless Device Charging Technology

Frisco, Texas-based Greatbatch Inc. is partnering with Watertown, Mass.-based WiTricity Corporation to develop wireless charging technology for medical device applications. Greatbatch has licensed WiTricity’s intellectual property to commercialize efficient, high-performance wireless charging systems for medical devices of its own design, as well as systems and solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

WiTricity and Greatbatch have been collaborating on designs for wireless power transfer solutions for use in medical devices since 2012. With a growing library of reference designs developed over the past three years, Greatbatch is now in a position to expedite the development and commercialization of power system solutions that feature wireless charging of battery-powered medical devices in a wide range of power profiles and categories.

“Using WiTricity technology, Greatbatch is creating an accelerated path to the next generation of wirelessly-charged medical devices,” said Greatbatch Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer George Cintra. “We believe the application of highly resonant wireless power will improve safety, reliability and usability profiles in medical devices, and enable new features that address unmet clinical and user needs. Our continued efforts with WiTricity will expand our innovation in wireless power transfer for the medical device industry.”

WiTricity’s patented magnetic resonance technology for wireless power transfer offers flexible positioning and increased distance to make device charging easier, as well as the ability to charge through non-metallic materials such as plastic and glass, allowing designers to remove contacts and create closed systems that charge batteries through completely sealed cases, easing sterilization, reducing maintenance, and increasing reliability and availability for these critical tools. With the increased ease and opportunity of wireless charging, battery size may be reduced, decreasing weight and offering a more ergonomic experience for users. In addition, wireless power transfer via magnetic resonance may potentially improve the usability and power efficiency of implantable devices charged or powered through the skin.

“Medical applications are a natural fit for WiTricity technology, and the opportunity in the medical industry could rival the consumer electronics and automotive industries where wireless charging is gaining momentum,” said WiTricity CEO Alex Gruzen. “Wireless power transfer provides a host of benefits in medical applications, and working with a leader like Greatbatch allows WiTricity to address this market as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Greatbatch makes medical device technologies for the cardiac, neuromodulation, vascular and orthopedic markets; and batteries for high-end niche applications in the portable medical device space.