Packaged Thermoelectric Generator with High-aspect-ratio Thermocouple Legs for Electrically Active Implants

We report on a packaged thermoelectric generator (TEG) for electrically active implants. A fabricated TEG with high aspect ratio thermocouple legs was embedded in a housing. Metal contacts provide good thermal contact to the surrounding tissue. A finite element model of the packaged TEG was built and surrounded by a typical human tissue stack (skin, fat, muscle). The thermoelectric properties of the packaged TEG were experimentally determined and supported by numerical simulations. Furthermore, we conducted parameter studies on the numerical model on housing materials and filling gases to investigate their effect on power output.