A high bandwidth fully implantable mouse telemetry system for chronic ECG measurement

Abstract

We report on the development of a novel system that enables the wireless transmission of high-bandwidth physiological data from a freely moving mouse. The system employs inductive power transfer (IPT) to continuously power a battery-less transmitter using an array of overlapping planar coils placed under the animal. This arrangement provides a minimum of 20 mW at all locations and orientations across the mouse cage by selecting a coil which will sufficiently power the transmitter. Coil selection is performed by feedback control across the 2.4 GHz wireless link. A device was constructed utilizing this novel IPT system and was used to capture high-fidelity electrocardiogram (ECG) signal sampled at 2 kHz in mice. Various attributes of the ECG signal such as QT, QRS, and PR intervals could be obtained with a high degree of accuracy. This system potentially provides lifetime continuous high bandwidth measurement of physiological signals from a fully implanted telemeter in a freely moving mouse.