The future of cardiac pacing may soon be injectable. Engineers at Northwestern University have developed an experimental pacemaker the size of a grain of rice, designed to dissolve safely in the body after use. Intended for temporary pacing, especially in newborns recovering from heart surgery, the device avoids traditional wires and external hardware—common sources of infection and complications.
The pacemaker operates wirelessly through a wearable chest patch that detects abnormal rhythms and sends corrective signals via infrared light. It’s powered by the body’s own biofluids, forming a tiny galvanic cell with its electrodes. Made from resorbable materials like magnesium, molybdenum, and ultrathin silicon, it safely breaks down after serving its purpose.
This innovation, still in testing, could replace conventional temporary pacemakers and simplify care for both infants and adults recovering from heart surgery. Human trials may begin within five years, and the design still has room to get even smaller.
