Flexible organic solar cell to power modern cardiac pacemakers: Versatile for all age groups, skin types and genders

Abstract Bio-medical electronic components execute an vital part in medical services. Powering these devices is a task. Thus, the biomedical electronic devices which are able to self-harvest and store power are in huge demand. Present pacemakers are powered by batteries which have limited volume for energy packing and are compulsory to be changed. This needs a surgical intervention and is costly, with attachment of complications and risk. The objective of this paper is to validate if a subdermal PPV-PCBM [poly (2-methoxy-5-{3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy}-p-phenylene vinylene) and {6,6}-phenyl C 61 —butyric acid methyl ester] active layer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photo-voltaic (OPV) device could power a cardiac pacemaker. Power yield of 0.05 milliWatts (mW), 0.45 milliWatts & 2.1 milliWatts for African, Asian & Caucasian skin tones are gained at 2-millimeter implementation depth, acceptable to operate cardiac pacemaker demanding approximate power of 10 microWatts. Additionally, results correspondingly display higher output power is generated if the skin is thinner and brighter.