Researchers at the University Hospital of Bern have used ETA watch movements embedded on the hearts of pigs to power a pacemaker, a move that could bring clockwork to our inner organs sooner than later.
The researchers believed that the beating heart could move the oscillating weight if they reduced the radius and added higher mass. To test it they tore down and ETA movement, cut a smaller weight out of platinum, and finally added a tiny autoquartz generator to convert mechanical to electrical engird. When they tested it in pigs they were able to generate 6 microwaves of power – enough to run a pacemaker.
You can read more at IEEE Spectrum.
The best thing? The researchers had to depend on Swiss watchmakers to modify the movements.
“We are not able to modify such highly complex clockwork on our own,” said one.
