Enabling Deep-Tissue Netw

for Miniature Medical Dev

Yunfei Ma

Zhihong Luo, Christoph Steiger, Giovanni Tra

and Fadel Adib
Harvest e
wireless
Power u
commu
 Key Challenge:
Wireless signals die exponentially in the h
 Key Challenge:
Wireless signals die exponentially in the h

Signals decay more than 1000x faster inside the bo

Cannot power up battery-less sensor in deep

 In-Vivo Networking (IVN

• System that enables networking with deep-tiss

free medical sensors from a distance.

• Introduce a new technology that can power a

communicate in deep tissues and deal with a
constraints like tissue losses.

• Implemented and evaluated with different tiss

real living animals.
Continuous and Long-Term Drug D
In-body Sensing and Diagnos
Deep brain sensing and stimula
 Key Challenge:
Wireless signals die exponentially in the h

Tx
 Key Challenge:
Wireless signals die exponentially in the h

Tx
 Key Challenge:
Wireless signals die exponentially in the h

The sensor will not power up unless the ins

energy is above a threshold
Tx
The sensor will not power up unless the ins
energy is above a threshold
 The sensor will not power up unless the ins
energy is above a threshold
Because of non-linear electronics (e.g., diodes, transist
free sensor needs a minimum energy to power up
 The sensor will not power up unless the ins
energy is above a threshold
Because of non-linear electronics (e.g., diodes, transist
free sensor needs a minimum energy to power up

Energy
threshold
 The sensor will not power up unless the ins
energy is above a threshold
Because of non-linear electronics (e.g., diodes, transist
free sensor needs a minimum energy to power up

Energy
threshold

In air
 The sensor will not power up unless the ins
energy is above a threshold
Because of non-linear electronics (e.g., diodes, transist
free sensor needs a minimum energy to power up

Energy
threshold

In air
instantaneous energy above
threshold => powers up
 The sensor will not power up unless the ins
energy is above a threshold
Because of non-linear electronics (e.g., diodes, transist
free sensor needs a minimum energy to power up

Energy
threshold

In air In the bo
instantaneous energy above
threshold => powers up
 The sensor will not power up unless the ins
energy is above a threshold
Because of non-linear electronics (e.g., diodes, transist
free sensor needs a minimum energy to power up

Energy
threshold

In air In the bo
instantaneous energy above instantaneous e
threshold => powers up threshold => ca
Why not transmit more power from a sign
Why not transmit more power from a sign

TX power is limited by FCC regulations and dev

Why not transmit more power from a sign

TX power is limited by FCC regulations and dev

Why not transmit more power from a sign

TX power is limited by FCC regulations and dev

With single antenna, power is transmitted in al

=> Inefficient
Standard Solution: Use Multiple Antenn

TX1
Standard Solution: Use Multiple Antenn

TX1

TX2
…

TXN
Standard Solution: Use Multiple Antenn

TX1

TX2
…

TXN
Standard Solution: Use Multiple Antenn

TX1

TX2
…

Focus e
on one lo

TXN
Standard Solution: Use Multiple Antenn

TX1

TX2
Constructive interference enables MIMO t
N2 times power gain over a single ant
…

Focus e
on one lo

TXN
Standard Solution: Use Multiple Antenn

TX1

TX2
Constructive interference enables MIMO t
N2 times power gain over a single ant
…

Problem: MIMO requires knowing the Focus e

wirele
on one lo
(i.e., exactly how signals travel)
TXN
Wireless channel is intractable inside hum

TX1

TX2
…

TXN
Wireless channel is intractable inside hum

• Signals t
TX1 different
different

TX2
…

TXN
Wireless channel is intractable inside hum

• Signals t
TX1 different
different

TX2
• Signals r
organs, c
angles, u
diffractio
…

TXN
 Wireless channel is intractable inside hum

• Signals t
TX1 different
different

TX2
• Signals r
organs, c
angles, u
diffractio
…

TXN estimate the channel because need

Cannot
deep-tissue sensor in the first plac
How can we power and communicate with
deep tissues despite unpredictable ch
How can we power and communicate with
deep tissues despite unpredictable ch

Solution: IVN introduces beamforming tech

can work under blind wireless chan
Traditional MIMO IVN beam
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1
TX1

channel2
TX2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1
TX1

channel2
TX2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1
TX1

channel2
TX2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1
TX1

channel2
TX2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 known
TX1

channel2 known
TX2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 known
TX1

channel2 known
TX2

MIMO compensates signal

by knowing the channel
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 known
TX1

channel2 known
TX2

Signal
realigned

MIMO compensates signal

by knowing the channel
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 known
TX1

channel2 known
TX2

Add
constructively

MIMO compensates signal

by knowing the channel
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown
TX1

channel2 unknown
TX2

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown
TX1

channel2 unknown
TX2

Signals remain
mis-aligned

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown
TX1

channel2 unknown
TX2

Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown
TX1

channel2 unknown
TX2
Apply constant
multiplier (phase shift)
Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown
TX1

channel2 unknown
TX2
Apply constant Apply time-
multiplier (phase shift) multiplier (freq
Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Apply constant
Traditional MIMO Apply time-v
IVN beam
multiplier (phase shift) multiplier (frequ

channel1 unknown ch
TX1 TX1

channel2 unknown ch
TX2 TX2

Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Apply constant
Traditional MIMO Apply time-v
IVN beam
multiplier (phase shift) multiplier (frequ

channel1 unknown ch
TX1 TX1

channel2 unknown ch
TX2 TX2

Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown ch
TX1 TX1

channel2 unknown ch
TX2 TX2

Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown ch
TX1 TX1

channel2 unknown ch
TX2 TX2

Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot

be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown ch
TX1 TX1

channel2 unknown ch
TX2 TX2

Add
destructively
t
Signal misalignment cannot
be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown ch
TX1 TX1

channel2 unknown ch
TX2 TX2

Add
destructively
t
Signal misalignment cannot
be compensated
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam

channel1 unknown ch
TX1 TX1

channel2 unknown ch
TX2 TX2

Add
destructively

Signal misalignment cannot Power boo

be compensated particular
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

h1
TX1 TX1

h2
TX2 TX2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α
h1
TX1 TX1

h2
TX2 TX2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α
h1
TX1 TX1

h2
TX2 TX2
β
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α
h1
TX1 TX1
y
h2
TX2 TX2
β

y = α h1 + β h2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α α(t) = α ×exp(jω
h1
TX1 TX1
y
h2
TX2 TX2
β

y = α h1 + β h2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α α(t) = α ×exp(jω
h1
TX1 TX1
y
h2
TX2 TX2
β β(t) = β ×exp(jω

y = α h1 + β h2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α α(t) = α ×exp(jω
h1
TX1 TX1
y
h2
TX2 TX2
β β(t) = β ×exp(jω

y = α h1 + β h2
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α α(t) = α ×exp(jω
h1
TX1 TX1
y
h2
TX2 TX2
β β(t) = β ×exp(jω

y = α h1 + β h2 y(t) = α h1ejω t
1
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α α(t) = α ×exp(jω
h1
TX1 TX1
y
h2
TX2 TX2
β β(t) = β ×exp(jω

y = α h1 + β h2 y(t) = α h1ejω t
1

Mathematically, IVN introduces a time-varyin

 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α α(t)= α
h1
TX1 TX1
y
h2
TX2 TX2
β β(t)= β

y = α h1 + β h2 y(t) = α h1ejω t
1

= α h1(t) +
Mathematically, IVN introduces a time-varyin
 Traditional MIMO IVN beam
Apply constant multiplier Apply time-vary
(phase shift) (frequenc

α α(t)= α
h1
TX1 TX1
y

IVN’s h2 introduces frequency sh

beamformer
TX2 TX2
βpower under blind channel
β(t)= β conditio

y = α h1 + β h2 y(t) = α h1ejω t
1

= α h1(t) +
Mathematically, IVN introduces a time-varyin
IVN’s beamformer introduces frequency sh
power under blind channel conditio
IVN’s beamformer introduces frequency sh
power under blind channel conditio
IVN’s beamformer introduces frequency sh
power under blind channel conditio

Overcome the minimum en

needed to power up deep-
Deep-Tissue Communication
 Deep-Tissue Communicatio
IVN leverages backscatter, the most energy
communication technology
 Deep-Tissue Communicatio
IVN leverages backscatter, the most energy
communication technology

Switch “
TX1 Energy Det
1 0 1 1 0 1
En

1 0 1 1 0 1
 Energy Thresholding with IVN’s Be
Time varying
channel
…
TXN
TX2
TX1
1 0 1 1 0 1

1 0 1 1 0 1
 Energy Thresholding with IVN’s Be
Time varying
channel
…
TXN
TX2
TX1
1 0 1 1 0 1

1 0 1 1 0 1

Below Threshold
 Energy Thresholding with IVN’s Be
Time varying
channel
…
TXN
TX2
TX1
1 0 1 1 0 1

1 0 1 1 0 1

Below Threshold
=> Decoded incorrectly
 Energy Thresholding with IVN’s Be
Time varying
channel
…
TXN
TX2
TX1
1 0 1 1 0 1

1 0 1 1 0 1
 Energy Thresholding with IVN’s Be
Time varying
channel
… A1

TXN
TX2
TX1
1 0 1 1 0 1

1 0 1 1 0 1