A pacemaker the size of a sticker could one day help correct abnormal heart rhythms without being surgically implanted.
Scientists at MIT have developed a wearable device that uses ultrasound to stimulate the heart from outside the body. Worn on the chest like a small patch, it sends precisely targeted sound waves through tissue to help regulate irregular heartbeats.
In laboratory tests, the technology successfully controlled the rhythm of engineered human heart cells. In animal studies, it was also able to restore normal heart rhythms quickly, without implanted wires or an internal battery.
The potential impact is huge. Around 3 million adults in the United States currently live with pacemakers, while this experimental device is only about the size of a postage stamp.
The research is being led by a team including MIT professor Xuanhe Zhao, with the long-term goal of creating a less invasive way to pace the heart.
3 million Americans with pacemakers. One postage-stamp-sized patch. No implanted wires. And a future where treating an irregular heartbeat could be as simple as wearing a sticker.
Image was made using AI and for illustration purposes only.