Characterization of a packaged triboelectric harvester under simulated gait loading for total knee replacement.

Load sensing total knee replacement (TKR) implants are useful tools for monitoring prosthesis health and providing quantitative data to support patient claims of pain or instability. However, powering such devices throughout the entire life of the knee replacement is a challenge, and self-powered telemetry energy harvesting is an attractive solution. In this study, we implemented vertical contact mode triboelectric energy harvesters inside a knee implant package to generate the power required for embedded digitization and communications circuitry.

Effect of Dielectric Material and Package Stiffness on the Power Generation in a Packaged Triboelectric Energy Harvesting System for Total Knee Replacement.

The objectives of this study are to experimentally investigate the effects of the dielectric material and the package stiffness on the durability and the efficiency of a previously developed triboelectric-based instrumented knee implant prototype. The proposed smart knee implant may provide useful information about prosthesis health and its functionality after a total knee replacement (TKR) by routine monitoring of tibiofemoral load transfer without the need for any external power source. The triboelectric powered load sensing by the proposed TKR system needs to be functional throughout the entire life of a knee replacement.