A New Wireless Power and Data Transmission Circuit for Cochlear Implants

This paper studies the performance of a wireless power and data transfer (WPDT) circuit for cochlear implants. Main features of the studied circuit include: 1) power transfer with high efficiency and low sensitivity to misalignment between coils, 2) simultaneous data transfer with high bandwidth, and 3) without the requirement of an extra DC-DC converter to control the output power. Having a controllable quality factor, this converter represents superior performance compared to conventional WPDT circuits. Unlike class E converters, this circuit employs a small input inductance, which results in better data transmission performance. Experimental results of a 1 MHz prototype are presented to verify its functionality.