A Batteryless 19 $\mu$W MICS/ISM-Band Energy Harvesting Body Sensor Node SoC for ExG Applications

TLDR

The authors present an ultra‑low‑power, battery‑free energy‑harvesting body sensor node SoC that acquires, processes, and wirelessly transmits ECG, EMG, and EEG signals. The SoC integrates energy‑harvesting circuitry, dynamic power management, low‑voltage boost converters, bio‑signal front‑ends, subthreshold processing, and RF transmitters to enable autonomous, reconfigurable operation from harvested power. The chip achieves ECG heart‑rate extraction and atrial fibrillation detection while consuming only 19 µW, powered solely by thermoelectric or RF harvesting, and offers lower power, a 30 mV minimum supply voltage, and greater integration than prior wireless BSN SoCs.

Abstract

This paper presents an ultra-low power batteryless energy harvesting body sensor node (BSN) SoC fabricated in a commercial 130 nm CMOS technology capable of acquiring, processing, and transmitting electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), and electroencephalogram (EEG) data. This SoC utilizes recent advances in energy harvesting, dynamic power management, low voltage boost circuits, bio-signal front-ends, subthreshold processing, and RF transmitter circuit topologies. The SoC is designed so the integration and interaction of circuit blocks accomplish an integrated, flexible, and reconfigurable wireless BSN SoC capable of autonomous power management and operation from harvested power, thus prolonging the node lifetime indefinitely. The chip performs ECG heart rate extraction and atrial fibrillation detection while only consuming 19 μW, running solely on harvested energy. This chip is the first wireless BSN powered solely from a thermoelectric harvester and/or RF power and has lower power, lower minimum supply voltage (30 mV), and more complete system integration than previously reported wireless BSN SoCs.