Implants communicate through body tissue instead of Bluetooth

Georgia Tech researchers built SWANS, a networking system that sends signals between implants through body tissue using ionic conduction rather than radio. A single 10-volt pulse reached over 30 cm across tissue and up to 14 cm deep—10 times the coverage of Bluetooth or NFC—while passive implants cut power use more than 15-fold.

• A 10 V pulse spans over 30 cm of tissue and reaches 14 cm deep
• Passive implants draw almost no listening power, lasting 15x longer
• A 3×1.1×17 mm implant fits through a 6-gauge needle
• In rats, a forelimb signal triggered a twitch in the opposite hind leg