This document describes research into developing bio-signal electrodes that have the capability to generate electrical power through electrochemical processes, with the aim of powering intra-corporeal capsule transmitters. The researchers are developing a magnesium-silver chloride-seawater primary battery that can generate around 1.5 volts of power through interactions between the magnesium anode and silver chloride cathode in a saline electrolyte similar to body fluids. Experimental prototypes have shown the ability to power simple circuits for tens of hours. Further work is needed to improve safety and optimize the design of ultra-low power transmitters that could be powered by such electrodes placed on or inside the body.

1. Bio-Signal Electrodes Having Electro-Chemical
Power Generation Capability Aimed for
Operating Power of Intra-Corporeal Capsule-
Telemeter Transmitter
Matsumoto S, Takeuchi Y, Kakizaki H
Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
y.takeuchi@ieee.org
ISOB2014 session 3-3
2014.5.20@Kyoto Univ.

2. All the slides are ready for review at
“Slide Show”
Suggested keywords:
“Yasuhito Takeuchi” and “ISOB2014”

3. どんな高邁な電子機器も実は狐狸同様に-----
Let me eat power!!

4. May have battery here or there --------

5. “どこかに電池があれば良いのではないか”
本件研究者は独断と偏見をもって
「そうは思わない」--------- のです。
“May have battery here or there --------”
Unfortunately the authors DO NOT support this idea,
at our OWN philosophy

6. Water Inlet
Water-based
Battery

8. シンパをつのるには日本一であれば十分、あえて世界一であ
る必要はないそうで----
Come fight with me!!

9. 最近はドラエモンがくれるキビ団子の方が人気があり、国際的知名度も高く------
Come fight with me ------ Doraemon

10. サルと犬には同時にきびだんごをくれては
いけないのだそうで-----
同時にくれるとその場でお互いに焼き餅を焼いて喧嘩
になり、桃太郎は以後ずっと仲裁に追われっぱなしで
とても鬼が島攻めどころではなくなり------- (以下省略)

11. 最近は地球温暖化が進んでいるようで----
Everywhere warming up globally

12. とにかく食べない事には----

14. ただし、エサの配り方が下手だと----
Sometimes mistaking the feeding method

15. 多すぎる！
TOO many eaters / clients

17. Too Many Battery Researchers/Manufcturers

18. Where we are ??

19. 電気化(バケ)学、ないしガルバニズム(=非常にご利益
のある新興宗教)の一般形式
Galvanism (a religious movement)

20. 何とか電池・総集編
レモン電池、ポテト電池、ぶた電池、昆虫電池、その他無数
ANYTHING-battery!!

21. マグネシウム・海水(or 体液=生理食塩水)・銀塩化銀
という構成の１次電池
アノード（正極）： 銀塩化銀複合体（不分極電極）
電解液： 塩水、塩度0.9(生理食塩水=体液) ~ 4.0 (紅海の海水)
カソード： 金属マグネシウム（またはその合金）
貴卑落差＝大略1.5V強（実験実測1.55V）

22. Magnesium-SeaWater-Ag+AgCl primary battery
Anode(+): Ag+AgCl compound (unploarizing electrode)
Electrolyte: Salt water or equivalent
(salinity 0.9%(body fluid) - 4%(red sea))
Cathode(-): Magnesium (pure metal or alloy)
Ionization Potential Difference
etwa.1.5 volt (1.55 volt as measured)

23. 海に落っこちた時初めて、しかし絶対確実に動き始めてく
れる筈の電子装置 ------- “EPURB”（動かなかった悲劇もあり）

24. 前途洋々＝前途多難＝武運長久を祈るのみ
Bionic (Glucose) Battery (workable inside body tissue)
Tohoku University, profs. Nishizawa and Kaji)

25. 東日本大震災を機に売れに売れて悲鳴朗々とか
Water Activating Magnesium Battery
(sold greatly on earthquake incidence)

27. How to Use NoPoPo Mg-Water Battery

28. Japanese Notorious Mg-AgCl-Seawater Battery.
Has decades of years of history.

29. 海水電池の実際的な構造の例
Example of structure of seawater battery for real use
カソード物質
アノ−ド物質
電解液（海水）の流路）
分離（分画）手段
集電手段（箔or網） 集電手段（箔or網）
負荷

33. マグネシウム-銀間
の貴卑電位差は
大略1.5V
Mg to Ag =~1.5V
Mg to Cu =~1.2V
Zn to Ag =~0.9V
Mg to Graphite
=~1.8V
etc.

34. こういう構成で1.5Vの電源が得られる筈である
This arrangement makes dc1.5V power source
across body tissue (or body fluid)

35. その1.5Vで送信機を動かせないか
Can this power the telemeter transmitter??

36. 単純な電極ごとのバッファアンプには十分
Could be sufficient for per-electrode buffer amplifiers

37. この思想に合わせた極低電力テレメーター送信機の一案
Possible arrangement for mostly simple ECG transmitter

38. Active (power on) when placed on body surface

39. Inactive (power off) when off from body surface

40. How much is the SAFETY limit ??
100μA Extracorporeally ??
(10μA Intracorporeally ???)

45. NG
Conductive gel at center and surrounding adhesive on
foam is “conductive”, it always make generating mode
even at off-skin situation. No way to stop.

50. OK
Central gel-foam on AgAgCl disc is insulated by plastic ring against
outer ring of adhesive foam. The AgAgCl disc and Magnesium ring
are insulated when off from skin, to stop generating.

58. hp14445A modified Mg-AgAgCl dual part generating electrode
(1) place on dry skin (foot)
(2) change position to wet/sweaty skin (chest)
(3) move to fully saline soaked bank of tissue paper
(4) move to fully urea soaked bank of tissue paper
vertical full scale: 2V, horizontal pace: 10 minutes/cm.
Disturbances are seen with electrochemical instability (1-2) and
lead wire electrical contact instability (2-3-4).

59. hp14445A modified Mg-AgAgCl dual part generating electrode,
life time history of in-operation electrical output.

60. hp14445A modified Mg-AgAgCl dual part generating electrode,
life time history of in-operation electrical output.
Amplifier operation limit
RF osc operation limit

61. hp14445A modified Mg-AgAgCl dual part generating electrode,
life time history of electrical output in detail. Electrolyte = 0.9%
saline water, load resistance = 100Kohm.
One hour
10 min.
start

62. Renewing electrolyte after about 24 hours.

63. Final moment of life, at about 60 hours.

65. speculation
From experimental behavior, it is suggested that the
life of this primary battery system is determined by
fatigue or ceasing of the cathode side material Ag-
AgCl, not by that of the anode side material Mg.
The cathode side material Ag-AgCl compound
seems to lose the nature of unpolarizing electrode, at
end of the system life. The balanced or buffered
situation in between Ag and AgCl seems to be lost.
Which of Ag or AgCl “looses” is not
well known, or to be determined by
another experiment.

66. Fighting of cathode material at end-of-life-phase
Dead spot of Ag-AgCl evokes backing material (Cu or Fe?) where another
competing local battery system appears for another voltage 1.2V. When the
competing local battery spots are all oxidized and looses, system backs to
remaining Ag-AgCl anode for 1.55V. Repeating this fighting time by time,
system ends the life when all the available AgAgCl is gone.

67. Bio-Protech T716 (lowest price)
lifetime =~16 hours
hp14445A(Philips M2022A)
lifetime =~30 hours
Ag-AgCl sintered pellet disc,
(8mm dia. X 2mm thickness)
lifetime =~70~100 hours

68. ある実施例における部品定数、各部の電流など
Design Example for Electrode-Powered ECG Transmitter

70. 1st aid reception of ECG
optimization & calibration TBD

71. (1) dark grey in beginning, by & by gets more dark or black.
(2) micro-bubble raises up to surface continuously. =Hydrogen??
(3) metallic shine smooth surface lost to make grey rough surface
(4) fine white powder come down to vessel bottom. =MgO or Mg(OH)2

72. Intra-Corporeal (intra bladder) Capsule-Telemeter
Transmitter, In design, for Pressure and Phono.
6mm dia. x 10mm length.

75. Our early days experimental data, using
battery built-in capsule telemeter transmitter.

76. Issues remaining
Electrical Safety -------- may be OK
Biochemical Safety ---- maybe-maybe OK
DC current (or gross charge) durable AgAgCl
(or other) electrode ------- TBD/TBBI
Ultra-Low-Power Xmitter ------ TBD/almost OK

77. 一次電池としての発電機能を併せ持つ生体電極とその応用の試み
中間結論
基礎技術開発においては「独断と偏見による個人的な第一印象や
インスピレーション」が非常に大切ですので、それのみ述べます。
面白い、使えそうだ、やっちまえ!!
故にこの研究はさらに継続発展させます。本日は
雑駁な発表にご静聴ありがとうございました。

78. 一次電池としての発電機能を併せ持つ生体電極とその応用の試み
Bio-Signal Electrodes Having Electro-Chemical Power
Generation Capability
面白い、使えそうだ、やっちまえ!!
(please say)
THAT’S INTERESTING!!

79. Continued to Next ISOB Meeting

80. Thanks for your Attention