Device and method to activate cell structures by means of electromagnetic energy

Abstract

A stimulation device includes an energy source; an electronics unit; an actuator that is coupled with the electronics unit and/or the energy source. The electronics unit includes a controller. The energy source, the electronics unit and the actuator are arranged in a housing. A fixing unit which is coupled with the housing and affixes the stimulation device on a heart or in a heart. The actuator emits electromagnetic waves for the stimulation of genetically manipulated tissue, and the controller controls the stimulation of the tissue by way of the electromagnetic waves of the actuator.

1 . A stimulation device, comprising:
 a housing;   a fixing unit coupled with said housing and configured to affix the stimulation device on a heart or in a heart;   an energy source and an electronics unit disposed in said housing;   an actuator disposed in said housing and coupled to at least one of said electronics unit or said energy source, said actuator being configured to emit electromagnetic waves for stimulation of genetically manipulated tissue;   said electronics unit including a controller configured to control a stimulation of the tissue by way of electromagnetic waves generated by said actuator, a frequency of stimulation of said electromagnetic waves lying in a frequency spectrum between 10 13  and 10 20  Hz; and   said electronics unit having at least one unit selected from the group of units consisting of:
 a pickup unit configured to measure data that characterizes a tissue activity and/or a success of a stimulation; and 
 an evaluation unit configured to evaluate measurement data with respect to a requirement of a stimulation and/or with respect to a success of a stimulation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said frequency of stimulation of said electromagnetic waves lies in a frequency spectrum between 10 13  and 10 16  Hz. 
     
     
         3 . The stimulation device according to  claim 2 , wherein the frequency of the stimulation lies in a frequency spectrum between 10 14  and 10 15  Hz. 
     
     
         4 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a biocompatible material and/or said housing is hermetically sealed. 
     
     
         5 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to vary one of the following properties or a combination of the following properties for the stimulation:
 an intensity of the electromagnetic waves;   the frequency of the electromagnetic waves; and/or   a pulse duty ratio of the electromagnetic waves.   
     
     
         6 . The stimulation device according to  claim 5 , wherein a frequency of the stimulation lies in a frequency spectrum between 10 13  and 10 16  Hz. 
     
     
         7 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said energy source comprises a battery being a primary cell or a secondary cell. 
     
     
         8 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of said actuator is coated with a biocompatible material. 
     
     
         9 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said actuator is configured to stimulate a local area on or in the heart by way of electromagnetic waves. 
     
     
         10 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said actuator includes at least one first actuator and one second actuator configured to stimulate mutually different local areas on or in the heart with electromagnetic waves. 
     
     
         11 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least said fixing unit and/or portions of said housing are provided with an anti-inflammatory medicament. 
     
     
         12 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , comprising a unit for electrical stimulation of the heart. 
     
     
         13 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a telemetry unit for wireless communication with at least one external device and/or data center. 
     
     
         14 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said electronics unit is at least partly configurable by an external device. 
     
     
         15 . The stimulation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said actuator comprises at least one optical fiber.